Perfect Timing

Valentin Alekseev prays for death while fleeing for his life, hunted

for secrets he shouldn't know exist. With his home in ruins and his

master killed, he’s in such bad shape he can’t even tell that the

man who’s caught his eye is a shifter. He should know better than

to bring innocent bystanders into his mess of a life, but Fate has

other plans.

Twenty-seven years old, Shawn Dougal never thought he’d fall for

a man, much less a bloodsucker. But how else can he explain the

sudden lapse in judgment that has him traveling halfway across

Romania, risking his own life to save Valentin’s? And will breaking

and entering a centuries-old castle full of vampires be enough to

get his lover back?

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length: 63,786 words

PERFECT TIMING

Aimée Brissay

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

PERFECT TIMING
Copyright © 2011 by Aimée Brissay
E-book ISBN: 1-61926-077-8

First E-book Publication: December 2011

Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without
express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

If you have purchased this copy of Perfect Timing by Aimée Brissay
from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also,
thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy

This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or
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The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying
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This is Aimée Brissay’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect
Ms. Brissay’s right to earn a living from her work.

Amanda Hilton, Publisher

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DEDICATION

To my parents, for their love and understanding and for putting up

with me all these years. To David, for his help and endless patience.
And to Ileana, my best friend. This one is for you, girl.

PERFECT TIMING

AIMÉE BRISSAY

Chapter 1

In spite of the carefree face he was showing the world, Valentin

Alekseev felt bone tired. Cold and hurting, but above all tired. Too
many nights out in the rain, each of them a year’s worth of pain and
misery. The exhaustion, the blood loss, and the hunger had taken their
toll on him and he was already running on fumes, his strength and
will to live almost gone. He was still fleeing, still fighting for his life,
but the moment when he would no longer care what happened to him
was closing in.

So many towns and faces had passed before his eyes in the last

few weeks, he’d lost track of them. They all mingled, becoming but a
blur in his mind. None of them mattered anyway. Humans, all weak
and fragile and oh-so-shallow, nothing more than a meal or a quick
fuck, simply means to pass the long hours of eternity.

Once, he would have taken his time indulging in all the pleasures

mankind had to offer. Vice, in all its sizes and shapes, was no stranger
to him, and while his tastes leaned toward pretty boys with tight asses,
in his three hundred years he learned to take pleasure everywhere.

Yuri Sergheev, his sire, had taught him well. He’d given him

eternity. He showed him the beauty of the night and introduced him to
the joy of the hunt. In the hands of Yuri, he had learned the ways of
their world, how to conduct himself in order to survive, how to give

Perfect Timing

pain and pleasure and how to revel in them. He’d been his sire, his
mentor, his lifeline for so long. And now Yuri was gone and Valentin
was alone, running for his life.

Now, the promise of warm blood or that of a sweet ass no longer

held any appeal to him. While fresh blood was easy to find, it had
become harder to stomach. He couldn’t recall the last time he had
enough to restore some of his former self. But the thought of a warm
place to rest for a few hours had proven to be too hard to resist.

He shouldn’t have stopped, his pursuers so close he could almost

feel them breathing down his neck, but he was so exhausted. He just
wanted out of the weather and maybe, if he was lucky, a few hours
out of his head. So he entered the brightest tavern he could find,
hoping he would be left alone enough for him to warm up.

The place was cozy, the light just dim enough not to hurt his eyes

and the music floating from the speakers pleasantly fading in the
background. He found the farthest booth and sank with a grateful sigh
into the worn leather. He’d kept his back against the wall in a
protective manner but it was all for show. There was no strength left
in him to back it up.

A gust of wind stirred the air as the door opened, and he gathered

the jacket closer to his body, shivering. Fingers wrapped tight around
the steaming mug of tea in front of him, he glanced up briefly,
catching sight of the newcomer, and the breath stopped in his throat.

The man at the entrance was young and exotic, not his type. He

usually went for twinks, with blond hair and lithe bodies, so the fact
that he was sparing the guy a second glance was surprising. But, boy,
was he worth it. Not overly tall, five six or five seven, dark hair,
almost black, golden skin, and the most striking gray-green eyes
Valentin had ever seen.

The man stepped in the room, pausing midstep, nostrils flaring.

His eyes widened slightly and he turned half of an inch in Valentin’s
direction. Their gazes locked as the air crackled between them. Those
piercing eyes widened even more and the moment passed. The oddest

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expression passed over the stranger’s face, quickly replaced by a
blank mask. Was it shock? Resentment? Disgust?

Jaw set, the exotic creature turned away and headed for a booth on

the other side of the tavern, and Valentin was left staring after him.
He took in the strong shoulders, not overly large, feeling a small pang
of regret that the leather jacket the man was wearing concealed the
shape of his chest and his abdomen. However, his regret was short-
lived as Valentin’s eyes traveled lower on that body to the round, firm
ass and the perfectly shaped thighs clad in a tight pair of jeans.

Valentin worried at his lower lip, watching the sway of the man’s

hips, hunger rising in his throat. The feeling was welcomed, like a
long-lost friend, and he reveled in it. He had lost hope he would ever
feel this way again. He hungered for the man’s body, thirsted for his
blood. His gums ached, fangs pushing through, and it took everything
he had to keep them hidden. His fingers tingled to reach out and touch
and his dick got painfully hard within the confines of his pants.

He wondered about the man’s scent, wishing he was seated closer.

His eyes locked on the skin between the neck and the shoulder,
longing to lean in and sniff the spot, to run his tongue over the
softness there and taste its texture. Once, he’d have been able to pick
up the man’s scent or hear his heartbeat half a mile away, but he was
no longer what he used to be. Was the tan natural? Somehow he
couldn’t place the stranger as the type to use tanning beds or lotions,
but one could never tell these days.

Ahh, the things he wanted to do to that man. The things he could

show him. Wishful thinking on his part, as for all he knew the man
wasn’t even gay.

If only he’d had the time, if his life was different…But things

were as they were, and his moping around wasn’t going to change
matters any. Valentin watched the man take his seat in the booth, stole
a last glance of those striking eyes—yep, he’d been right, they did
change color, there was more gray than green in them now—and
turned his attention back to the mug in front of him, deciding to

Perfect Timing

ignore the beautiful stranger for the rest of the evening.

* * * *

Bloodsuckers? Here?
Shawn Dougal’s sensitive nose had picked up the scent from the

moment he had stepped inside the tavern. He separated it from the
thousand others, humans, food, alcohol, and it ingrained itself in his
mind forever.

What the hell was a vampire doing on the pride’s territory? His

nostrils flared. There was no mistaking. The man was indeed a
bloodsucker. If Alec ever caught a whiff of this, the vampire would be
history.

And why would I care what happens to him? He shouldn’t. He

really shouldn’t. But there was something about that man which
called out to him. Perhaps it was the sorrow that surrounded him or
the hurt coming off him. Or maybe it was the sense of vulnerability he
glimpsed in the vampire’s eyes, so unexpected for a bloodsucker.

Shawn took a deep breath and schooled himself to take a closer

look at the man. The boning was fine, the cheekbones high and the
jawline perfectly chiseled. His eyes traveled south from the plump
lips to the long, elegant fingers, more suited to an artist than a cold-
blooded killer, and to the cup they were grasping. Okay, maybe he
was a little biased, but it was considered to be common knowledge
that bloodsuckers got carried away at meal time. His gaze came back
to the mug and the steam that was rising from it. What do vampires
drink anyway? Coffee? Hot cocoa? Shawn tried to mask under a
cough the chuckle escaping his lips at the mental picture, but judging
by the looks he received from a nearby booth he wasn’t doing too
good of a job.

Shawn let his gaze wander over what he could see of the man’s

body. The vampire was skinny, painfully so, like the softest breeze
could knock him on his ass, and yet the way he held himself spoke of

Aimée Brissay

strength and nobility. How much of a fighter would he be? Was he
skilled in any way or was he relying on others to do his dirty jobs?
There had been nothing in the bloodsucker’s eyes when their gazes
met to help Shawn form an opinion on the matter. Usually very
skilled at sizing up an opponent, his inability to do so now was
unnerving.

As inconspicuously as possible, he continued his perusal. The

vampire wore a button-up, blue cotton shirt under a denim jacket that
looked like it’d seen better days. The top three buttons were undone,
offering a perfect view of the man’s neck that had Shawn searching
for a pulse and finding none. Yeah, what a surprise. His eyes traveled
over the aristocratic nose and arched eyebrows to the man’s hair.
Dark blond, unruly, longer than Shawn would have liked for himself,
it had that just-got-out-of-bed look. Not many could pull off this
particular style, but his vampire certainly could.

Whoa! Mine? When did that happened? His eyes flew back to the

vampire’s mouth, lips now pressed together in a thin line, and
lingered there.

And when did he start noticing another man’s lips? Maybe he

needed to get laid. That had to be it. How long was it since he last had
any? No way could he be attracted to a man. Sure, he could appreciate
the beauty and strength of the male body, but to actually find it
arousing? No. Nope. No way in hell. Yet, there was no other reason
for the erection he was sporting and, the worst part was that he
couldn’t remember how or when that happened. Maybe when he was
watching those fine fingers around the mug, wishing they were
wrapped around his cock? Or when he noticed the shape of those
cheeks? Or was it the very beginning when he first noticed the other
male? Which brought him back to the square one. What the hell was
going on?

He didn’t want any complications. He had enough problems as it

was. But an annoying little voice in the back of his mind kept telling
him that the vampire was going to be trouble and there wasn’t much

Perfect Timing

Shawn could do about it.

The vampire shifted slightly and a glint of gold caught Shawn’s

eye. A necklace, so thin he’d have thought twice before touching it,
much less wearing it, graced the base of the man’s neck, with some
sort of medallion hanging from it, partially hidden by the shirt’s
collar. His pupils turned to vertical slits and he narrowed his eyes to
hide them as he tried to get a better look. What could it be? A Zodiac?
A locket? A vial of poison? A cross perhaps? Maybe the bloodsucker
had a sense of humor. Scowling, he tore his gaze away from it and
found himself staring straight at the vampire’s black eyes. Shit, he’d
been caught ogling. The man’s luscious lips curved in a smile but its
warmth never reached his eyes. If anything, they looked sad and
regretful.

Another second and the bloodsucker lowered his head, breaking

the contact. Shawn stood back in his chair, glaring. He didn’t want
this, whatever this was, but he knew he had to at least talk with the
man. Damn it! Alec will have my head for this! On second thought, as
of today, this is no longer an issue. He snorted at his thoughts and
pushed himself to his feet. He had nothing to lose. If push came to
shove and the leech made a go for his throat, which was unlikely with
a crowded pub and all, Shawn was fairly certain he could handle it. At
least he’d get a good fight out of it. Shrugging, he walked over to the
bar to get himself a beer and a mug of whatever hot concoction the
vampire drank.

* * * *

Valentin stared pointedly at his now almost-empty cup, painfully

aware of each move the dark-haired man made across the floor, so
when a pair of jeans-clad legs appeared in his peripheral vision, he
wasn’t surprised. However, he hadn’t expected the fresh, steaming
mug that was placed by his hand or the man to slide into the booth
next to him.

Aimée Brissay

His gaze trailed from the beer the man was holding to his face. He

looked so young. How old was he? He had to be over eighteen, or he
wouldn’t have been allowed inside. But then again, anyone seemed
young next to him. What was the legal drinking age in this country,
anyway? And come to that, where the hell was he? He’d left his
homeland, Russia, that much he was sure of, and crossed over into
Ukraine under the cover of darkness, but he’d lost it from there. His
pursuers had almost caught up with him, and he’d been forced to take
hundreds of back roads and mountain trails to elude them, so basically
he had no idea where he was.

“Err…thank you?”
“You looked like you could use another one of these.” The words,

spoken in a soft, soothing voice, the kind a trainer would use to calm
a skittish horse, jerked him from his musings. The tone was warm, but
those gray eyes held a hint of annoyance. “I didn’t know vampires
drank tea.”

What the hell? Is there a sign hanging over my head saying “I’m

a vampire, kick my ass”? How could he know? I had my fangs hidden
the whole time, that I’m sure of, and there’s nothing else about me
that says I’m a bloodsucker.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The gray eyes gleamed mockingly, silently calling Valentin out on

his lie.

“I’m Shawn.”
“Huh?” Never one to be caught without a snappy comeback, he

was now at a loss.

“And you are?”
“Huh?” Surely he could manage more than that one word.
The stranger broke into a grin, settling back into a more

comfortable position.

“I asked who you are.”
The vampire pursed his lips. He was smart enough not to fall for

that; he’d offer his name and nothing more. The man already knew

Perfect Timing

too much.

“I’m Valentin.”
“Valentin. It suits you.” The name rolled off Shawn’s tongue like

a caress.

The vampire wanted to scream that nobody knew nothing about

him or his life and that all he wanted was to be left alone, but instead,
he swallowed back his words and shook the offered hand. The
contact, however brief, sent waves of awareness through his body,
finally settling in his groin.

For a moment, Valentin was tempted to use his gift to search the

man’s mind, to solve the mystery that was Shawn. It would have been
so easy to plant an idea in another’s mind, to make Shawn want him.
It would be even easier to reach out and take him then and there.
Humans had so little resistance in them. He’d use his powers to cloak
them both, and Shawn would be his for the taking. To fuck and feed
and maybe feel whole again, at least for a little while. But he pushed
the thought away, disgusted at himself for even thinking it.

The vampire rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers,

hoping to ease out the dull pain that had become a constant
companion over the last few months, and forced himself to focus on
the man in front of him.

He breathed deep, letting Shawn’s scent sink into him. It was a

woodsy combination of earth and trees, a refreshing combination after
the smells of stale beer and the day-old food of the tavern. It triggered
something in his memory, but not enough to put into words.

“Have we met before?”
Shawn looked at him questioningly, like he was trying to figure

out whether Valentin was playing some sort of a joke on him or
whether he was serious.

“No, we haven’t.” He hesitated for a second before continuing.

“You are not safe here.”

“I’m never safe.” The words held an unquestionable finality. “But

how would you know this? And why the hell would you care?”

Aimée Brissay

Shawn opened his mouth to retort, but stilled, cocking his head to

the side, listening intently. He swore under his breath and rose to
leave.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go. Keep in mind what I told you. You

want to live, don’t hang around here too long.”

It wasn’t a threat. At least it didn’t sound like one. The tone in

which it was delivered was soft, almost caring, and Valentin watched
in confusion as Shawn got up and left the bar. Shaking his head, he
turned back to the fresh cup of tea and ignored it pointedly in the
favor of the now-cold one.

* * * *

“You should have left the town, brother!” Lucan practically spat

the last word. There was no love lost between them and, as so many
times before, Shawn felt a twinge of regret.

“What are you doing here, Lucan? Shouldn’t you be at home?

Kissing Alec’s ass?”

“I was sure you would still be here. You never had a single ounce

of common sense. If you had, you would have died a long time ago
and spared me of your presence.” Hate was oozing from Lucan’s
every pore.

They were in the tavern’s parking lot, Shawn leaning against his

brother’s truck with an easiness he wasn’t feeling, while Lucan’s
posture was stiff, fists clenched at his sides. And his brother wasn’t
alone. Three of his closest friends were waiting nearby, watching
them intently.

“I’m sooo sorry to disappoint you. I had every right to be here.

Just like you.”

“You never had the right.” He was sneering, working himself up,

and the scent of his emotions was heavy in the air around them. The
bitterness of jealousy, the nauseating sweetness of hatred, and a hint
of something else, something that smelled suspiciously like

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satisfaction. The hatred seeping from every word was thick enough to
cut with a knife.

“Excuse me.” He pushed past Lucan, trying to get back in the

tavern, but his brother yanked his arm and shoved him hard against
the side of the truck.

“Not so fast, big brother. You’ve had your chance.” Lucan

gripped the soft leather of Shawn’s jacket and pressed him harder
against the metal. “You are no longer welcome here.” Each word was
marked by a shove. Annoyed, Shawn pushed back, sending his
brother stumbling.

“You have no authority over me. Not now, not ever.”
“The hell I don’t.” Lucan shoved him again, harder.
“I don’t want to fight with you. I never wanted this. But push me

again, and I won’t vouch for my actions.” Shawn’s tone was flat and
his posture deceivingly calm. The only thing betraying the feelings
boiling under the surface was the spasm in his jaw.

“You are nothing but a bum my dad had to keep around because

of your whore of a mother.”

The pain, still close to the surface, hit Shawn like a punch and left

him gasping for air. His mind went blank and red haze covered his
eyes. How dare he? His mother had been such a loving and tender
creature, always calm and caring despite the unfairness of the life she
had.

Lucan mistook his stillness for cowardice and went for the kill.

His fist shot for the jaw. Shawn dodged the blow and planted his own
fist in his brother’s stomach. Lucan gasped, his hands flying to the
sore point, but he recovered quickly and with a vicious snarl slammed
his body onto Shawn’s. Lucan’s friends emerged from the shadows,
descending upon them like scavengers waiting for a feast.

* * * *

Back inside, Valentin drained the last drops of his tea and placed

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his mug on the table with a sigh. Time to move on. In the warmth of
the tavern, his overworked muscles had finally started to relax, and
now the effort to get them to function again was painful. He threw the
last of his money on the table and headed out.

He froze with his hand on the doorknob, his ears picking up a

strange racket. Had they found him already? Panic rose in his throat,
choking him. Sweat broke against his forehead and the walls closed in
around him. His mind screamed at him to flee, to run as far away as
possible. Instead he remained still, knees turned to stone.

The ruckus outside grew in intensity and his neck prickled. Flesh

hitting flesh, bones cracking, the low thump of a body hitting the
pavement. What the hell? If they had caught up with him, whom and
why were they fighting outside? They had no need for such displays.
Was this some sort of a ruse? He strained his hearing further, picking
up the faint sound of heartbeats. Several of them. Weird. He allowed
his senses to reach out, searching for anything that would mark the
presence of any immortals nearby, and found none. It could be only
one answer. Shawn. He was in trouble.

This time Valentin didn’t hesitate, didn’t stop to think. He pushed

the door open and stepped outside, his posture changing, his back
stiffening and his pace growing confident. He idly absorbed energy
from the elements around him and power crackled over his skin.

He sniffed the air. Rain. Cold, wet earth and the sweetest smell of

all—blood. Its scent grew thicker, obtruding all others, and drew
Valentin to it like a moth to the flame. How long had it been since he
last fed? Since he last felt the need to?

His eyes zeroed in on the fighters, frozen in place, staring back at

him. He closed in, fangs dropped, ready to strike. There were three
men standing and two on the ground. Shawn was bloodied and
bruised, but on his feet. Apparently it was four against one. Bastards!
They dared touch what was his! Rage coiled, heightened by the scent
of blood and adrenaline coming from the men on the ground. The
vampire wanted to roll in it, to cover himself in it and drink until there

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wasn’t a single drop left. Everything became a haze and nothing
mattered but that heavenly scent. He was close now, so close he could
taste it.

The two guys on the ground rose to their feet, groaning. Six more

steps, five, and then four. He growled, deep and menacing. His fully
extended fangs gleamed from under his curled upper lip. Four heads
rose as if on cue and nostrils flared. He growled again. The humans
didn’t scream or cower in fear. They stood their ground, wild-eyed,
most likely trying to decide whether he was an easy prey despite the
canines and feral look.

“Fuck!”
“Oh, shit! Vampire!”
“Bloodsuckers on pride lands! Alec will be pissed.”
The tone varied from surprise to downright outrage. Shawn just

sighed in contempt, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his
mouth. One of the assailants had a broken nose and the other three
were sporting serious cuts and ugly looking bruises. Though they
were all bleeding, it wasn’t their blood that called out to Valentin. It
was Shawn’s. Away from the rank of the bar, the man’s scent was
stronger. He smelled like summer and earth and grass, woodsy and
intense and so oddly intimate. He wanted that man with an intensity
that scared him.

“Why, brother, you should have picked up his scent earlier. No

wonder your father needed me to challenge Alec. You’re too weak.”

“No point in waiting for Alec. We could take care of the

bloodsucker on our own.” A short, bulky, dark-haired man sneered.
Valentin assumed he was the leader and turned to face him. The man
snarled and shifted on his feet, hiding Shawn in the process. The
vampire growled, making his intentions clear. Shawn was his and his
alone.

“You should have stayed out of this.” Shawn sounded resigned,

like he expected nothing less.

“And miss all the fun?”

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“You two know each other? Oh, how lovely.” Lucan turned to

Shawn and sneered.

“Leave him out of this, Lucan. He is none of your business.”
“I beg to differ, brother.” Lucan spat the words at Shawn and

whirled on his heels, throwing himself at Valentin.

The vampire dodged him easily, grabbed him by the back of his

neck as Lucan flew past him, and threw the man against the side of
the nearest SUV. The remaining three scrambled to life, two of them
launching themselves at him as the last one circled them, waiting for
an opportunity to jump in.

* * * *

Shawn watched from the side as his brother’s goons and the

bloodsucker danced around each other, none of them managing to
place any blows. He stared openmouthed at Valentin, impressed by
his grace and his obvious skill. Power surged through him, giving the
vampire an aura of strength reserved only for thirteenth-century
knights. However, for some reason, Valentin was tiring fast, his
movements getting slower, and Shawn knew he had to intervene.
Especially when his brother was raging to get a piece of the
bloodsucker.

Lucan shoved away from the car, fingers curved to claws, lips

curled in a snarl. Oh shit! Shawn lunged, catching him midair and
shoving his fist in his brother’s face. Bones cracked under the force of
the blow and blood gushed. Lucan cried out and stumbled backward.
Shawn took advantage of this and grabbed one of his brother’s friends
and threw him over the hood of the SUV, letting the vampire deal
with the remaining two. Valentin seemed to be aware of the fact and
increased his efforts. His movements became a blur, bones shattering
bones, claws raking over skin, blood oozing from fresh wounds.

Lucan took a swing at Shawn, which he dodged, just barely.

Unfortunately he wasn’t so lucky the second time, as sharp talons

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raked his chest and a fist caught him over the side of his head. Stars
exploded behind his eyes and his knees buckled.

* * * *

Valentin saw Shawn go down, his rage giving him new strength.
“Mine!” His fully extended fangs made talking difficult. The

single word held more possessiveness than he’d intended, and it made
everyone pause.

Lucan regarded him with a startled look in eyes. He recovered fast

and issued his own challenge. “Yours? In what way is he yours?”

How dare he? Valentin’s eyesight changed, his pupils dilating to

the point where there was no white left in his eyes, and a new wave of
power washed over him. Lucan took a step back, and the scent of his
fear filled the air.

“Have I not made myself clear enough? He. Is. Mine.”
“You can have him. I’m better off without him. I just hope you

will make his death slow and painful.”

Without a single glance at the man lying at his feet, Lucan turned

tail and left, his goons hot on his heels. Watching them leave, mostly
unharmed if limping and bleeding were overlooked, was the hardest
thing Valentin had ever done.

Only when they were out of sight did the vampire allow himself to

give in to the powerful pull of Shawn. The scent of the man was
intoxicating. Not even in his first days as a vampire had he been so
enthralled. The rain had started falling again at some point, but he
wasn’t feeling it. He filled his lungs again and again, tasting the scent
in all its nuances. It was a rich flavor, woodsy, earth and musk all
mixed together, creating a unique blend. One he knew he’d never
forget.

He stepped closer until he was almost sitting on top of him and

crouched to get a better look. The man was covered in blood and
bruises. His eyes were closed and his breath labored, but there was no

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permanent damage.

The human body, so strong and yet so weak. Valentin could kill

him so easily. Why shouldn’t he? Shawn’s blood would give him the
strength he needed. It wouldn’t cure him, but it’d allow him to fight a
little longer.

“What is it about you that has me so worked up?”
A drop of water sliding down Shawn’s cheek captivated him. How

would it be to trace the same path with his tongue? He caught it with
his finger and brought to his mouth. It tasted like…rainwater? He
glanced up, finally realizing it was pouring and the temperature had
dropped even more in the last minutes.

“Now, what do I do with you? I cannot keep you, let alone keep

you safe.” But before the words left his mouth, he knew that he
wouldn’t leave Shawn behind, hurting or not. Not a feeling he cared
for, and he pushed the thought aside to deal with later, when he’d feel
up to it.

Hoping he wasn’t causing the man more pain than he had to, the

vampire slid his hands under Shawn’s body and lifted him in his arms
easily. Though shorter than Valentin by a couple of inches, Shawn
had a good forty pounds on him, but the vampire was carrying him
with ease.

Valentin tried to ignore the scent assaulting his nostrils, warm

blood and male, the hunger gnawing at his stomach, and concentrated
on his surroundings. He had been so caught up in his righteous rage,
an entire battalion of tanks could have arrived without him noticing.
Fortunately that was not the case.

The vampire carried Shawn away from the parking lot’s light

range and set him back on the ground. He scanned the area around
them and, once satisfied the other man would be safe there for the few
minutes needed to secure a vehicle, he turned around and headed for
the parking lot.

He’d never hot-wired a car before, but how hard could it be? They

did it all the time in movies, surely he could match that. Halfway to

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the parking lot, he remembered he had nothing he could use to pry
open the door.

I guess I could always break the window, if need be. He grabbed

hold of a small rock and aimed for the light bulb. Moments later the
glass shattered, leaving the parking lot in the dark. He didn’t need the
light anyway and the night would provide him extra protection.

Valentin circled the parked cars, but there wasn’t really much of a

choice. Most of the cars were ancient, battered and rusted under the
layers of paint, and only a few looked slightly better. He wasn’t that
picky, but if he were to steal a car, he’d like to get at least a remotely
reliable one. A blue SUV caught his eyes. It wasn’t new, but it
seemed in good shape. And the best part was that it had no alarm
system that he could see. He tried the door, hoping he might find it
unlocked, but no such luck. He glanced around, making sure he was
alone, though the night was dark enough to prevent any unwanted
attention, slammed his elbow through the driver’s window, and lifted
the safety. He stuck his head inside and sniffed. It smelled faintly like
Shawn, and Valentin chuckled. Man, Shawn will be pissed.

Okay. I can do this. Just have to pick the right wires. He crouched

under the wheel, pried the lid open, not without inflicting some
permanent damage to it, and within seconds had the wires in his hand.
Exactly what I thought. There’s nothing to it.

A minute later he was pulling next to a still-unconscious Shawn.

He pushed the seat back as far as it could go and lifted Shawn in.
Halfway through the motion of pushing shut the door, Valentin froze.
He’d walk away from any car crash he might get into, and as he
wasn’t much of a driver there was a high chance of that happening,
but Shawn couldn’t. He secured the seatbelt over the man’s chest and
lap, whilst fighting the urge to check up closer on the equipment
behind those tight jeans.

He got back in the driver’s seat and pulled off onto the road with

no destination in mind, just the urge to not waste any more time.

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* * * *

What do I do with you now, handsome? He traced Shawn’s face

with his knuckles, his touch soft as a feather. The skin was soft and
warm and Valentin longed to be allowed to continue the journey
south. How would it feel to run his hands all over that body? To
expose every inch of that glorious skin? To touch it, to taste it, to feel
it against him? Shawn’s rich scent surrounded him, seeping into his
every pore and driving him crazy with lust. The confusing part was
that, while Shawn was still covered in dried blood, Valentin was
lusting after the man’s body more than anything else.

Valentin shook his head, chiding himself for his thoughts. For all

he knew the man wasn’t even gay, much less interested. He just
hoped Shawn wouldn’t be too pissed about being dragged along to
want to have nothing to do with Valentin. On the other hand, it could
be for the best. He’d dragged the man into his world fully knowing
that he could provide no protection. Hell, he couldn’t keep himself
safe, much less a human. But that didn’t stop him from playing the
what-ifs over and over in his head.

The vampire shifted in his seat, trying to find a more comfortable

position for his raging erection. The only thing he knew for sure was
that driving with a hard-on was going to make for a really long trip.

Perfect Timing

Chapter 2

Shawn groaned and pried his eyes open, a dull headache pulsing

behind his eyelids. Thank God there wasn’t any light or it would have
been much worse. The scent had awoken him. The smell of an
aroused vampire nearby. It had wormed its way into his consciousness
and tugged at his memory.

The events of the previous days came rushing back. His mother’s

death a few days ago. The funeral. His stepfather’s ultimatum.
Leaving what for the last fifteen years of his life he’d called home,
with nothing more than the clothes on his back. Alec’s kindness and
understanding when he’d said good-bye to his former pride leader,
and his decision to drown his sorrow at his favorite bar. The image of
a skinny bloodsucker with big, black eyes and sandy blond hair
popped up in his mind. He remembered wanting him, even though
Valentin was a man.

The fact that he was also a vampire didn’t matter any to Shawn,

he liked his steak rare, Valentin liked blood, big deal, but it could
have caused problems along the way. Vampires and shifters didn’t
mix. Ever. That was the rule. Why it was so, Shawn didn’t know, but
he’d heard stories. Werewolves bled dry for trespassing into
bloodsuckers’ territory or vampires killed for offending one or the
other of the local prides or packs.

So why had he felt so protective of Valentin? He should have

killed him when he first laid eyes on him, not warned him off. A
dangerous predator like the vampire on his lands should have
triggered all sorts of violent responses in him, not arousal and
possessiveness.

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He kept his eyes shut and his breath even as he mulled things over

in his head. He was very aware of the man sitting next to him,
Valentin’s scent was everywhere, but to his utter surprise, he found
his presence soothing. How weird was that? They should be enemies.
The therians and the vampires had been at each other’s throats for
centuries, so why didn’t he feel threatened?

Each question raised more questions without providing actual

answers to any of them, and Shawn’s curiosity was tickled. He’d stick
around until time or his relentless questioning would wear Valentin
down and would finally provide all of the information he was seeking.
Maybe in the process, he’d figure out what was up with that attraction
he felt for the vampire. For all he knew, it could have been some kind
of weird mojo the bloodsuckers had going for them to help them get
laid. Yep, that had to be it. He wasn’t gay.

Satisfied with his conclusion, he opened his eyes and shifted in his

seat. They were in his SUV, on the road, with no idea of where
Valentin was going or why was he driving Shawn’s car. He glanced to
his side at the vampire and his eyes widened in shock.

Son of a bitch!
“Did you have to break my window?” Okay, maybe his voice

croaked a bit, but no one but him could tell. It was his baby they were
talking about. Breathe! Just breathe, before you strangle him!

Valentin winced. “Yeah, well. Sorry about that. It hadn’t occurred

to me to check out to see if you had any car keys on you. I was in a
hurry. How do you feel?”

“You were in a hurry.” It was a statement. “In a hurry to go

where?”

Valentin shrugged and kept driving. Shawn bit the inside of his

cheek to stop himself from screaming and tried to be reasonable.

“That would explain your need to steal a car. But did it have to be

mine?”

Valentin chuckled. He actually chuckled.
“What’s funny?” Shawn wasn’t finding any of this amusing.

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“I wasn’t looking to steal your car. It just happened.”
“And the car wasn’t enough? You had to take me, too? Or it just

happened, too?” No point in mentioning that it fit Shawn’s plans
perfectly.

Valentin smirked, which Shawn found to be equally annoying.

“Nope, that was planned.”

Shawn caught the bridge of his nose between his thumb and

forefinger and prayed for patience. This had to be a vampire with a
serious death wish.

“Why?”
“You intrigue me.” Valentin seemed to be choosing his words

carefully.

Still rubbing his forehead between his fingers, Shawn let out

another groan, ignoring the way his heart skipped a beat at the
admission. It wouldn’t do for him to admit he found the vampire
equally intriguing. No, sir, it wouldn’t do at all.

“Let me see if I got this straight. You were in a hurry to leave and

so you stole my car and, as I tickled your fancy, you decided to take
me along as well.”

“Yep, that about sums it up.”
“Where are we going?”
Valentin shrugged. “Nowhere in particular. As far away from here

as possible.”

“You have got to be kidding me. You kidnap me but you don’t

know where you are going?”

The vampire shrugged again and offered no further clarification,

but his scent changed, arousal being slowly replaced by uncertainty.
The silence stretched on, Shawn watching him intently, as Valentin
fidgeted, obviously uncomfortable being the center of attention.

“Have I said something wrong?”
Valentin shook his head, not meeting his gaze. If anything, his

turmoil became stronger. Deciding things weren’t going in the right
direction, Shawn tried a different approach.

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“How long have I been out?”
Visibly relieved, the vampire jumped at the chance. “Over an

hour. I was worried for a moment that you might have a contusion.
How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been hit by a truck.”
“You’re not far.”
“Yeah. My brother and his goons.” He knew he sounded bitter,

but he couldn’t help it.

Finally, Valentin chanced a sideways glance at the shifter.
“About that. What happened back there?”
Shawn sighed. He didn’t want to go there.
“Just Lucan acting like the ass he is.”
He rested his head against the seat and stared out the window. He

had no plans for his life, nowhere to be. Until today he had a place to
live and a family, no matter how dysfunctional it was. But he’d lost
everything in the span of a single word. He walked away from any
chance he had at claiming the pride as his own, but he knew in his
heart he did the right thing. He didn’t want to challenge his prime just
to please his stepfather. Alec was a good leader, strong and fair. His
stepfather just had to find someone else to do his dirty job.

Now, all his worldly possessions consisted of the car, the money

in his wallet, the clothes on his back, and whatever little he had in his
duffel. And a vampire with an attitude as a companion.

But, damn, the man smelled good. A bit odd, like there was

something off about him, but good nonetheless. In spite of everything,
he found himself getting hard again and he hoped like hell Valentin
couldn’t smell out his arousal. What was wrong with him? He was
never attracted to men. Ever. What was it about this man?

The silence stretched on, each of them wrapped in their own

thoughts.

“Why did you warn me off? At the bar.”
“You seemed like the weight of the world was on your shoulders.

I thought you needed a friend.”

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“How did you know you I was being followed?”
“I didn’t.” It was Valentin’s turn to be confused. Shawn faced

away from the window to stare at his mate. How could it be? How
could he not know? No vampire could miss the scent marking a
pride’s territory. Especially not when the pride was as big and as
powerful as his. Then again, maybe the vampire was just a very good
actor.

“Why the warning then?” Valentin’s gaze locked on Shawn’s.

“Why, Shawn?” The words were spoken in a serious tone, and those
big, dark eyes bore into his, silently asking for the truth.

“You don’t know?” Couldn’t he smell Shawn’s arousal for him?

His interest in the vampire?

A fresh gust of wind brought in more rain and fresh, new scents.

Shawn stilled, his survival instincts going into overdrive. There were
bloodsuckers nearby, so close he could smell their excitement over
the hunt. And he’d bet everything he had that Valentin was the prey.

Amazingly, Valentin seemed oblivious to everything around them.
“Er, friends of yours, Valentin?”
“Huh?”
“The vampires on our tail. Friends of yours?”
Valentin eyes bulged, dread coming off him in waves.
“I’m so sorry I dragged you into this. It wasn’t my intention. I

should have known better. I should have never stopped at the bar. I
knew they were close. But I was tired and cold and I wanted a break
from everything. That’s it.” He was babbling. “I cannot win against
them. I am so sorry…Wait! How do you know about vampires? Or
even better, how can you sense them?”

Oh my God, he was serious! Shawn burst out laughing. “You are

kidding me, right? How can you not smell them? They stink to the
moon!”

Valentin was so shocked his eyes almost popped out their sockets.

“What. Are. You?”

“Shifter.”

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“No, really.” The vampire glanced sideways at him, his face a

perfect image of incredulity.

“Do you want to have this particular conversation now? You

might want to find a good spot to pull over.”

“You are not listening to me. I stand no chance against them.” He

spoke slowly, like he was trying to explain things to a mentally
challenged child.

Shawn frowned in confusion and inconspicuously sniffed the air.

Lies had their own scent, just like anything else in the world, and he
could pick out even the most subtle of them. There was none of that in
the air. Just plain-out honesty. He worried at his lower lip. Before
anything else, he needed to know one thing.

“In the parking lot. Why didn’t you stay out of it?” It had been

obvious that Valentin was not strong enough, so if he’d turned tail and
left, Shawn wouldn’t have faulted him for it.

Valentin’s fingers tightened on the wheel.
“It wasn’t a conscious thought. I just reacted. I couldn’t let them

kill you.” He turned to face Shawn again and looked him straight in
the eye. “Your blood and your scent called to me like nobody else’s
ever had.”

Shawn nodded. He could understand the attraction. He checked

his side mirror, half expecting to see all hounds from hell on their tail,
before sending Valentin a wide grin.

“So. What did you do to have bloodsuckers chasing after you?

Stole something?”

“What’s so funny?”
“I was just trying to picture you breaking and entering into a

vampire’s lair to steal something.” Valentin glared at him. “Oh, come
on! You broke the damn window just to get into my car. You can
understand my disbelief in your stealth skills.”

By then, Valentin was shooting daggers at him. Oh yes, just as he

suspected. Annoying the vampire was proving to be so much fun.

The scent of their pursuers was getting so strong even Valentin

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had to feel it. They were gaining ground by the minute, but there were
no vehicles in sight. It was unnerving as hell.

Something smashed into the right side of the car and pushed it

over the road’s axis. Valentin swore, fighting to keep the SUV on the
road. Shawn gripped the door handle to steady himself and glanced
around, trying to locate the source of the attack.

“What the hell was that?”
“Didn’t we just have this conversation?” Valentin’s tone was

harsh, but his distress was genuine.

“Talk to me.”
“Let’s just say that the expression things that go bump in the night

is not just a figure of speech.” He felt them a second before the car
was hit again.

“Shit! Hold on!” The smack was followed by another and another,

each stronger than the one before. Despite Valentin’s efforts, the SUV
fishtailed off the road, coming to a stop fifty feet away in a pool of
mud. He caught Shawn’s eyes, mouthed an apology and then he was
out of the car.

Shawn watched him bolt through the door and shook his head. By

a million guesses, he couldn’t have said what had attacked them if it
weren’t for the smell. The stench was overwhelming in the confines
of the cabin, and his only thought was that it would take days to
dissipate entirely. But first things first. He undid his seatbelt and
reached for the door handle. The metal had been damaged and
required a significant amount of force for Shawn to push it open.

The shifter stepped outside and faced his opponents for the first

time. There were vampires all right, three of them, and most likely
old, but just how old was anyone’s guess. Shawn couldn’t see them
yet, just feel them stalking from the shadows. Valentin was leaning
against the other side of the car, body poised, eyes trained on the spot
over Shawn’s shoulder. The therian’s head snapped around, following
his gaze, but he couldn’t see anything through the curtain of rain.

“I see you got yourself a watchdog. How thoughtful of you. It

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won’t do you any good, but I appreciate you going to all these lengths
to entertain us.” The voice was downright evil and cold crept up
Shawn’s spine. He was beginning to see where Valentin’s fear was
coming from.

“Oh, I’m sorry, but I don’t care for being called a dog.”
“No one asked for your opinion, mutt!” A second voice, just as

evil as the first one, drifted through the night.

“Theodore, please, let him go. He is not part of this,” Valentin

pleaded.

“You made him a part of this. You stupid fuck! You should have

died with the rest of them! It would have saved us the nuisance of
tracking your stupid ass halfway across the continent.” The owner of
the third voice came into view from somewhere on their right. He was
tall and bulky, and the black clothes he was wearing made him look
even more dangerous.

“Oh jeez! I’m sorry I didn’t take into account the trouble you’d

have following me when I fled for my life.”

“You’ve always had a big mouth. Too bad you can’t measure up

to it.”

Shawn shifted his weight slightly, bracing himself. From the

darkness around them, the figures of the two vampires that had
spoken earlier finally took shape. Both tall, wide, and from the vibes
coming off them, extremely dangerous. The three of them had Shawn
and Valentin in the middle, and the therian didn’t like one bit the
position he was in. He shifted on his feet again, his back plastered to
the side of the car, and faced the threat head-on.

“You are in for a treat. You get to watch the pooch die. When we

are done with him, it’s your turn. And for all the trouble you put us
through, your death will be even slower than his. I will personally
make sure of it.” The vow came from the vampire standing in the
middle, the one Valentin had called Theodore. Shawn pegged him as
the leader of the small group and no doubt the most dangerous of all.

“Really, guys, the mutt thing is getting old. If you’re planning on

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insulting me, you could at least get your facts straight.” He might as
well have saved his breath, because none of them were listening. It’s
like talking to a wall.

“Matheus, he’s all yours.”
At the leader’s sign, the vampire closest to Shawn, a huge guy

with black hair and pitch-black eyes, leaped forward. He’d expected
it, but the ferociousness of the attack still caught Shawn off guard,
and he barely managed to dodge it. The vampire hit the car with a
loud thud and turned to face him again, fangs bared, eyes gleaming,
and fingers curled like claws.

The rattle of another fight in progress coming over from

Valentin’s direction reached Shawn’s ears, but the sounds barely
registered, his entire focus directed at his opponent.

Careful not to lose his footing, the shifter took a few steps to the

side, leaving the protection of the car behind. The vampire snarled
and charged again, and this time Shawn wasn’t fast enough. Their
bodies clashed, teeth rattled, and clothes tore. Matheus’s talons dug
into his flesh and it felt like bones were being crushed. He squirmed,
fighting for room to maneuver.

The vampire aimed for the throat, his fangs sliding over Shawn’s

collarbone and sinking into the soft skin between the neck and the
shoulder. Shawn tangled one hand in Matheus’s hair, jerking hard,
and lifted up a knee, smashing it into the bloodsucker’s body, going
for the man’s nuts. Old rules rang in his ears. No place for mercy in a
fight to the death. You’d be shown none.

Matheus grunted and pulled a step back, and that was all the space

Shawn needed. He untangled his hand from the vampire’s hair,
pulling out some in the process, and shoved his fists into the other
man’s chest, sending him stumbling back.

The beast inside of him screamed to be released, gums aching and

skin tingling. He drew a deep breath and called forth his second
nature. His body elongated, the bones rearranged themselves, fur
spurted from beneath his skin, and pieces of clothing flew all over the

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place. In Shawn’s place, the jaguar stood proud, roaring his rage and
challenge into the night.

* * * *

Valentin was in over his head and he knew it. Theodore, Matheus,

and Daniel were all older than he was. Millennia older. He couldn’t
begin to imagine the kind of power those three mastered. Cold-
blooded killers, they sold themselves to the highest bidder, rarely
acting solely on loyalty, or what passed as loyalty for their kind. The
leader, Theodore, was well over fifteen hundred years old and no one
knew for sure how many, both mortals and immortals, had died under
his hands. Matheus and Daniel were younger but just as vicious.

Valentin could sense the menace rolling off them, pressing onto

his chest, choking him. He could hear Theodore’s voice whispering in
the back of his head, and while the words were fuzzy, the message
was clear—he was going to die, and he was going to beg for death
long before they’d be done with him. A few hours ago he might have
welcomed it and the peace it would bring with it, but all that changed.
Now he had a reason to live. If the chances for him to live through
this night were slim, the ones for both him and Shawn to survive were
next to nothing.

He saw Daniel’s pupils dilate and fangs extend and he lunged

forward, meeting the other vampire midair. Daniel went for
Valentin’s throat and missed, his nails leaving crimson scratches on
their pass over Valentin’s chest. Valentin found an opening and sank
his fangs into Daniel’s shoulder. Blood rushed into his mouth, fresh
and rich. His hunger rose and the bloodlust took his senses. He
whimpered at the taste of old power and latched harder onto the
wound he’d made. With a hiss, Daniel slammed his elbow into
Valentin’s stomach, unhooking his fangs from his body and tearing
the flesh open.

Daniel dug his fingers into Valentin’s ribs, and bones crumbled

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under the pressure. Daniel shoved Valentin against the SUV. The car
creaked and slid further into the muddy earth by the side of the road.
Daniel snaked a hand into Valentin’s hair and pulled it hard, exposing
his throat.

“Don’t worry, little fledgling, I just want a taste. The fun won’t

start until later.”

Daniel’s voice, softer than a whisper, sent chills up Valentin’s

spine. The man’s breath brushed over Valentin’s neck and he knew he
was going to die. Sorrow pooled in his stomach. Oh God, why now?
Cold lips closed over his throat and sharp fangs grazed the skin just
before they punctured it. Blood rushed through his veins and his
eyesight tunneled just when an earth-shattering roar pierced the night.

Daniel stilled in place, still latched onto Valentin’s neck, and

Matheus’s cuss penetrated the fog in Valentin’s head.

“Shit, that’s one helluva dog!”
“That ain’t a dog!”
Daniel lifted his head to look over to where Matheus stood, and

his grip on Valentin’s body slipped. That was all the respite the
skinny vampire needed. He bared his fangs, and before his intentions
could register in the man’s mind, he ripped Daniel’s throat out. Blood
gushed from the wound and Valentin drank and drank, taking in all
the power and the memories and the very core of the vampire’s being.
Daniel struggled against him, pushing and shoving, but Valentin held
him fast until he went still against him, his eyes wide and shocked.

* * * *

The jaguar smelled the fear and the fresh-spilled blood and it

spurred him on. Adrenaline rushed through his body. His eyes locked
on Matheus’s, and he could read the shock and uncertainty in them.
The vampire paused, and Shawn lunged, claws and fangs tearing
clothes and flesh, blood splashing around them, mixing up with the
rain. Matheus went still under him, but his victory was short lived.

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He sensed the second vampire a moment before he was on top of

him. They stumbled together to the ground in a tangle of paws and
limbs. Theodore’s nails left deep trails in Shawn’s fur and his fangs
chewed at the cords in the jaguar’s neck. The mane, wet and slippery,
too thick for the vampire to do any real damage, allowed him to roll
over on his back under Theodore’s body. This position, whilst making
him feel vulnerable, enabled him to use his claws on the vampire’s
exposed stomach.

Shawn dug into the bloodsucker’s flesh for all its worth as

Theodore made another try for his throat. Pain pierced through the
rage that was driving Theodore and understanding dawned on him.
With the last remains of his strength, the vampire pushed himself off
the jaguar. A second later his shape blurred and in his place there was
just mist dissipating slowly into the rain.

What the hell happened? Shawn, still in his animal form, stared at

the empty space previously occupied by Theodore. If it weren’t for all
the blood covering his fur and the scent lingering in the air, he would
have thought his imagination was playing tricks on him.

The jaguar rolled over onto his stomach, put his legs in front of

him and stretched out, until the soreness of his muscles faded. He got
on all fours and shook the water and blood from his pelt, splashing
everything around very much like a dog would have done, wincing
inwardly at the comparison.

Sounds of retching from the other side of the car pulled him from

his thoughts. Oh my God! Valentin! Shawn had completely forgotten
about him. Shawn sniffed the air and the scent hit him hard. Valentin
was hurt. He was bleeding.

The jaguar rounded the back of the truck and peeked from behind

the vehicle. Sure enough, there was Valentin, a hand braced against
the side of the car, puking his guts out. His retching spasms finally
stopped and his mate’s head fell backward, allowing the rain to clean
the blood on his face and bring relief to his wounds.

He was alive. The feline inched closer and sat gingerly on his

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haunches, purring loudly. Valentin was fine. All was well.

* * * *

The vampire whirled around and stared at the black jaguar in front

of him. He’d expected to find another of Theodore’s mercenaries or
even the head of his line himself, but he wasn’t prepared to get up
close and personal with the most gorgeous cat he had ever seen. Not
to mention deadly.

The vampire took a hasty step backward and plastered himself

against the side of the SUV.

Shit! Shit, shit, shit! Will this day never end? Valentin braced

himself for the attack that was sure to follow. The jaguar stretched his
front paws in front of him and lowered his body to the ground,
watching him with curious eyes.

Okaaay. Valentin offered his hand up for the cat to sniff at it, if it

so wanted, and waited. The jaguar’s muzzle twitched, but the feline
made no move toward him. Mustering all the courage he could find,
the vampire took a small step on shaky legs and offered his hand
again, palm facing upwards.

“Don’t be afraid, I am not going to hurt you.”
The feline snorted and its eyes gleamed. Even the vampire had to

admit it was funny. He could barely stand, much less be a threat to the
animal.

“Aren’t we gorgeous? Aren’t we sweet?” The cat snorted again,

like he found the whole baby talk amusing.

Valentin kept his tone soft, soothing. The jaguar didn’t look to be

out for blood, but it was a wild animal and should be treated as such.
Valentin’s fingers tingled with the need to touch. Maybe it’s the loss
of blood speaking. Yes, that’s got to be it, because no way in hell I
should want to pet a jaguar. But when the cat made no move toward
him, he crept closer.

“Here kitty, kitty!”

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The cat shook with laughter. Or what would pass as laughter in

the feline’s world. It leaped playfully at Valentin, and the man’s eyes
widened to the size of saucers. It shifted in midair, landing gracefully
not ten inches away in front of the vampire. Valentin yelped in
surprise as Shawn placed his hands on each side of his body, leaning
in close.

“Here kitty, kitty? You have got to be kidding me!”
“You’re a cat.” He was shocked. Shawn regarded him with a

confused look of his own.

“What is wrong with you? You should have known what I am

since I stepped in that damn bar. Vampires should be better at sniffing
up stuff like that.”

Valentin flushed three shades of red, in spite of the blood loss, and

dropped his eyes, only to jerk them back up. Shawn met his gaze and
held it. The vampire licked his suddenly dry lips before speaking
again.

“You’re naked.”
Somehow, in the span of the last seconds, Valentin had gone

painfully hard, throbbing furiously behind the fly of his pants.

“Yes, Mister State-the-obvious, I’m naked. I cannot shift and keep

my clothes on.”

As if on cue, Valentin’s eyes travelled down the gorgeous body in

front of him, taking in the strong chest and chiseled abs, stopping at
the rock-hard cock jutting at a straight angle from its nest of curls. His
eyes flew back and met Shawn’s, silently asking for an explanation.

“It’s you.”
Unable to stop himself, the vampire reached forward and traced

the line of Shawn’s cheek with the back of his fingers and watched
the shifter’s beautiful, gray eyes darkening.

His gaze dropped to the man’s mouth and he watched mesmerized

as the rosy tongue peeked out and licked at the lower lip. Valentin
whimpered and leaned in. Shawn’s lips parted in response and his
breath brushed against the vampire’s skin, but before they could

Perfect Timing

touch, Valentin jerked back and glared at the therian.

“You don’t want me.” Funny how much thinking that could hurt.
Shawn pointed at his dick. “This begs to differ.”
Valentin swallowed and shook his head, eyes glued to the shifter’s

cock. He couldn’t allow himself to hope. The disappointment might
kill him.

“It’s not me you want. It’s just adrenaline talking.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Are you even gay?”
Shawn stilled, frowning.
“That’s what I thought.” The vampire pushed at him and tried to

walk past him.

* * * *

Fuck! The shifter inched closer until he was almost flush against

the man and could barely contain a moan when his prick rubbed along
the hardness behind Valentin’s jeans. The vampire’s eyes shot up to
meet his and Shawn was taken aback by the vulnerability he saw in
them.

He leaned in and hid his face in the crook of Valentin’s neck,

taking in his scent. He smelled nothing like the bloodsucker Shawn
just killed. The shifter drew in another whiff as the vampire finally
settled in his arms. His scent was clean and sweet, with the faintest
hint of bitterness to it. Was he sick? But before Shawn could ask, the
man squirmed and all conscious thought fled his mind.

Shawn nuzzled the soft patch of skin under Valentin’s ear and

drew the lobe into his mouth, sucking gently. The vampire gasped and
arched his back, offering him better access. Not one to pass on such
opportunity, the shifter kissed his way along the jaw and hovered
above the elegant mouth of the vampire. Valentin’s eyes fluttered
open, his long lashes brushing against the porcelain skin of his
cheeks.

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Eyes locked on each other’s, Shawn brushed his lips over

Valentin’s, taking the first taste of the man. The vampire let out a
moan and clutched his hands into the shifter’s hair, pulling him closer.
Lips parted and their tongues met. The kiss was urgent and needing,
both of them trying to imprint the other’s taste in his system. Valentin
was making needy noises and squirmed to get even closer. Shawn
realized vaguely that he was kissing a man—and it felt good, better
than that—and pushed the thought aside. Blood simmered in his veins
and his pulse thudded in his ears.

Shawn’s lungs screamed from the lack of oxygen and he drew

back to catch his breath. He rested his forehead on Valentin’s and
stared into his eyes. Am I looking as dazed as he does?

* * * *

Valentin was fighting to get a hold of his emotions. Lust, thirst,

pure, undiluted need. His fangs descended and his gums ached. In
normal circumstances he would be ashamed of his complete lack of
control over his body. But Shawn felt good against his body, better
than anybody else ever did. He smelled fresh, like the forest, wet earth
and wind, blood, his and others, and musk. He stared blindly into
Shawn’s eyes and pulled him back for another kiss. It was savage,
Valentin wanting to taste every crevice of that mouth at the same
time. The shifter responded in kind, his hands fisted in his shirt,
holding him tight. Lips mashed lips, teeth bumped teeth and a fang,
his, Shawn’s, he didn’t know for sure whose nor did he care, nicked
the vampire’s lower lip. He moaned as a drop of blood emerged on
the surface, and it was promptly swept away by the shifter’s tongue.

Oh Lord! He’d always found the blood-play to be highly erotic,

and to have Shawn participate almost did him in. He whimpered and
squirmed to get close, searching for more friction.

The therian groaned and his hands went the vampire’s fly, almost

tearing the fabric in his hurry to have it open. Valentin’s cock sprang

Perfect Timing

free and bumped Shawn’s, making them both moan. The shifter
stepped forward, trapping him between his body and the side of the
car.

His rhythm faltered as Valentin snaked one leg behind Shawn’s

shin, pulling hard, making the man stumble, and rolled them both
until the shifter’s back was pressed against the side of the car. He
brought their cocks together and stroked.

All his instincts screamed at him to take it slow, but Valentin

couldn’t bring himself to do it. He wanted Shawn and wanted him
bad. He rolled his hips to add more friction between their cocks and
heard the other man whimper. Or maybe it was him? Shawn tensed up
and bucked, dry humping Valentin. The vampire broke the kiss and
his lips brushed over Shawn’s jaw, cheek, and ear, to descend gently
to the spot where he could feel the pulse trying to burst out. The
shifter’s skin was soft and hot under his mouth, and it took all his
control to not pierce the skin and taste his lover.

* * * *

Shawn was pinned between the vampire’s hard body, and man,

was he hard, and the side of the car. He should feel threatened. The
animal inside him should feel trapped. Yet, he was writhing under the
other man’s touch, moaning and clinging onto Valentin like a life raft.

He was completely flushed against the other man’s body, and he

still wanted to get closer. Maybe if he tried hard enough he could
crawl under that porcelain skin of his lover. He’d lost control over his
body the second their lips met and he had yet to regain it. Scents,
tastes, needs were pushing him into overdrive, and the adrenaline
spilled in his body during the fight was playing havoc with his
reactions.

* * * *

Aimée Brissay

“Oh, God, close.” Shawn’s hoarse voice in his ear made the

vampire shiver.

Shawn’s cock swelled against his own and Valentin increased the

friction between their bodies. His sac drew tight against the base of
his prick, a tingling sensation at the base of his spine announcing his
impending orgasm, and he tried to hold on long enough to send the
therian over the edge. His lips latched onto Shawn’s neck and his
fangs grazed the skin. Valentin’s vision blurred and he heard, like
from afar, Shawn’s groans of release, just before the world around
him went black.

* * * *

Shawn’s orgasm took over his body and he shuddered through his

release, his head thrown back, his lips curled, revealing a set of deadly
looking canines. Out of the blue, Valentin went limp in his arms and it
took Shawn a full second to realize it wasn’t due to his own release
but to some other cause.

Sheesh, for such a skinny thing you sure weigh a lot! Shawn

struggled with Valentin’s weight, setting him on the ground. Brain
still foggy from his orgasm, he just stared at the vampire. For a male,
the man was gorgeous. He shook his head and tried to focus.

Valentin’s eyes were wide open, staring blindly ahead. Shawn

brought his head closer and sniffed the crook of the vampire’s neck.
Blood. Valentin’s and some other vampire’s. Fresh. Shit, he is still
bleeding. He tore open the tee shirt the other man was wearing,
removing it entirely. His eyes paused for a moment at the small cross
resting on his lover’s chest, a wonder that it was still intact after all
the fighting, and trained on the blood trickling toward the armpit from
a nasty-looking tear on the left shoulder. He lifted the man into a
sitting position, supporting his back with his arm.

From this angle Shawn had better access to the wound and could

see the entire extent of it. The flesh was torn, like a vicious animal

Perfect Timing

had sunk its teeth over and over again with the single mind to create
as much damage as possible. He propped Valentin’s back against the
side of the car and stretched to grab the tee shirt he had discarded
earlier. He held it up for inspection, but the cloth was wet and dirty,
and while he was fairly certain that germs and bacteria weren’t a
threat for vampires, he didn’t want to chance it. After all, Valentin
was bleeding when he wasn’t supposed to. He scurried to the back of
the car and rummaged through his duffle, coming up with an old
cotton tee shirt. A moment later he was kneeling back next to the
vampire, pressing the cloth to the torn flesh. He cussed the lack of
light and dragged the man closer to the door and opened the driver’s
door to get some light.

Fuck! He is still bleeding. He pressed again the shirt on the

wound, applying more pressure, hoping it would stop the bleeding.
What the hell is going on? He shouldn’t be hurt at all. Vampires heal
faster than therians.

Shawn’s eyes widened in shock as Valentin started convulsing

and pink foam formed in the corners of his mouth. Do vampires get
epilepsy? Though this looks more like poisoning to me. Should I give
him milk? Sugared water? Oh wait, that works for dog poisoning and
low sugar level.

He grabbed Valentin’s feet and pulled him until he was again

lying on his back. After a small hesitation, Shawn brought his wrist to
his mouth and ripped it open. Blood gushed, and he hoped it was what
his vampire needed. He gripped Valentin’s jaw between his fingers
and squeezed hard to unclench it, not an easy task with the vampire
convulsing, and pressed the opened wrist to the man’s lips. For a
moment, nothing happened, and in the next he was latched onto the
wrist, chewing at the rapidly closing wound.

Shawn watched as the vampire grabbed his forearm, holding on

for dear life. Shit, there’s gonna be bruising. Fangs dug into flesh,
shredding it like he was trying to crawl his way inside. Lips closed
around the wound, and it was the most erotic thing Shawn had ever

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seen. How sick is that? He lost himself in the sensations, pain mixed
with arousal, the world once again reduced to the man in front of him.
He was acutely aware of each pull of Valentin’s mouth against his
skin, each hollowing of the vampire’s cheeks highly erotic. Blood
hammered in his ears, and he knew he had to pull back before it was
too late, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

* * * *

The liquid made its way through the vampire’s body, filling him,

warming him from inside out and making him feel better than he had
in months. He felt like flying. With each beat of Shawn’s heart, fresh
waves of warm blood made their way to Valentin’s mouth and he
savored every drop. It was ambrosia. This had to be heaven. The taste
was rich and earthy and like nothing he ever tasted before. The scent,
just as delicious, engulfed him, heavy musk, forest, rain and earth,
and that something that was Shawn’s. He knew he should stop. The
heartbeats, so steady and strong at first, slowed down, the rhythm
becoming erratic, and the shifter swayed against him. He had to stop.
He knew it, but his body wasn’t listening. Had it ever been so hard for
him to stop?

Valentin closed his eyes and held on to the feeling for as long as

he could without killing Shawn, and with what was left of his self-
control pulled himself back. His body protested, his fingers increasing
their grip on his lover’s arm, trying to overrule his mind, and coming
too close to succeeding for Valentin’s comfort. He forced his eyes
open and searched his lover’s face. Damn it, he wouldn’t forgive
himself if something happened to Shawn because of him.

Valentin pushed himself up and reached out to his lover. The

therian was pale and shivering, his eyes slightly unfocused, but the
wound had almost completely sealed over.

“Shawn, baby, are you all right?”

Perfect Timing

* * * *

Awareness slowly returned to his body and Shawn found himself

staring into the vampire’s concerned eyes.

“What…what just happened?” Damn, he sounded hoarse. Shawn

shivered as cold wind brushed his skin and reality dawned on him. He
was stark-naked in Valentin’s arms and still very much aroused. In
the rain. By the side of a road. Crap!

“Clothes. I need clothes.” He jumped to his feet, swooned, and

scrambled to the back of the car where his duffel was to dig for some
pants. He came up with what had to be the oldest and rattiest pair of
jeans he owned. They were going to get wet and dirty anyway, but at
least he would be wearing something. His prediction proved to be
right, as by the time he had them zipped up they were clinging onto
him like second skin. He rummaged in his duffel again, retrieved one
of his favorite tee shirts, and threw it at Valentin.

“Here, put this on.”
“Care to tell me what just happened here?” Now, with his clothes

on, he felt more confident, as if he hadn’t been naked in other
people’s company for most of his life.

Blood rushed into Valentin’s face, but as the question wasn’t

overly specific, he had the liberty to answer as he saw fit.

“I believe we had a small misunderstanding with three vampires.

By the way, nice job with those two.”

Shawn rolled his eyes. So that’s how he wanted to play this. Fine

by him, as he wasn’t ready to talk about what happened between them
just yet.

“Small misunderstanding? Almost becoming the main course for

an impromptu dinner by three scary bloodsuckers is hardly a small
misunderstanding. But it’s not what I meant, and you know it. Why
aren’t your wounds healing?” He glared at Valentin, now standing six
feet away from him, and damn it, he didn’t even hear him move. He
closed the distance between them and pinned the vampire with his

Aimée Brissay

eyes.

“Tell you what…” Shawn stilled, his sensitive ears picking out the

faint rumble of an approaching vehicle. “Fuck! Someone’s coming.
The bodies.” Valentin stared at him like he’d lost his mind. “We have
to do something with the bodies.”

How the hell was he supposed to explain to whoever was out there

the presence of two torn bodies? Why couldn’t they disappear in a
cloud of mist like Theodore did? It would have saved them a lot of
trouble. At least the rain had washed out most of the blood from their
bodies. Shawn hurried to the closest corpse, grabbed its feet, and
started dragging it toward the back of the car.

“Come on, give me a hand. We have to hide these.”
Valentin shrugged, completely unconcerned. “There is not much

left. And whoever’s coming is not a problem.”

“We are not killing whoever is in that damn car!”
“I never said we were.” Valentin shot him a hurt look. He might

be a vampire, but he didn’t strike Shawn as a cold-blooded killer.
“I’ve never had the stomach for it. Just one more weakness on my
part.” He was thinking out loud, the last words so quiet the shifter
could barely hear them.

“And how exactly do you plan on explaining this?” Shawn threw

his hands to show the mess around them, the battered car in the ditch,
pieces of clothes everywhere, and the bodies. “I’m looking forward to
hearing it myself. Must be one hell of an explanation.” He was back
to glaring at the vampire. He couldn’t help it. Besides, it was easier to
be pissed at Valentin than think about what happened between them
only minutes before and how right it felt.

“Relax, will ya?”
“Now you want me to calm down? You were singing a whole

different tune earlier.” He hissed out the words, unable to keep the
annoyance out of his voice. And the serene expression on Valentin’s
face was making him want to strangle him. He muttered crazy
vampire under his breath just as the car rolled into view. The man in

Perfect Timing

question chuckled.

The vehicle pulled to stop next to them at the side of the road and

lights sprung to life on top of it. Blue and red. Ohh great. Cops.

The officer got out of the car and stepped closer to check out their

SUV. The flashing lights were still on. The battery running out might
have been a bit too much to ask, but the policeman retrieved his
flashlight anyway. He trained the ray on their car, slowly circling it,
and the shifter knew the exact moment when the cop noticed them.
His eyes went wide and his right hand flew to his holster. He drew the
gun and took in the image the two of them made. Which apparently
did nothing to put his mind at ease.

“Hands behind your head! Now!”
Shawn glanced over at Valentin, unsure of how he should

proceed, and when no hints were received, he went for his best
soothing voice. “Officer, it’s not what it looks like.” Okay, that
sounded lame even to his own ears. The vampire chuckled, and
Shawn could have sworn he saw him roll his eyes. You think you can
handle it better, fang boy?

“I said to put your hands behind your head!” The cop sounded

frantic, taking worried glances around him, like expecting someone to
jump him from the bushes. Shawn could smell his fear from fifteen
feet away where he stood. The policeman pulled the safety off, hands
a little shaky. Shawn pursed his lips, wondering how in the world they
would get out of this without having to kill the human.

With slow, careful motions he brought his hands behind his head

and clasped them together, silently urging the vampire to do the same.
He wasn’t doing anything to help anyway, damn him.

“Officer…” That was all he got out before Valentin stepped in

front of him, crowding the policeman. “What the hell are you doing?
Trying to get us killed?” Shawn hissed the words, lips barely moving.
I know you’ve heard me, damn it, don’t do anything stupid. Just don’t.

There was no answer, but he didn’t expect one anyway. The cop

pointed the gun straight at Valentin’s chest and his finger tensed on

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the trigger. Shawn held his breath. The air creaked around them and
Shawn’s skin tingled. He glanced around him, confused. What was
going on? His nose wrinkled and he sneezed. Brows furrowed, Shawn
sniffed the air suspiciously. Power.

The vampire glided gracefully toward the cop. The pressure in the

air increased and the human’s eyes fogged, becoming fixed.

This could be very good or very bad. The therian shifted on his

feet, unsure of what to do next.

“Put the gun back in holster.” Valentin chanted the words in a

soft, mesmerizing tone and Shawn felt them seeping into him, warm,
compelling, erasing everything else on his mind but the sound of that
voice. The vampire hummed, and Shawn found himself willing to
obey his every command. Needing it. Anything just to hear that voice
again.

“Turn off the flashlight, officer…?”
Shawn snarled. Officer? What about me? He is supposed to be

talking to me. ME! Not him.

“Officer…?” the vampire prompted again in that enchanted voice

of his. A growl rumbled in his chest and Valentin hissed at him.

“Mladinovici. Peter Mladinovici.” The human sounded dazed, his

voice coming from far away and his movements slow but steady.
Valentin edged closer in one fluid motion, more graceful than
anything Shawn had ever seen before, and power surged through the
air once more.

“Okay, Peter. You will not report this. You will get back to your

car and be on your way and forget you ever saw us or anything that
might have happened here. You will finish your shift like nothing
happened and you will stay away from these woods for the rest of the
night.”

Valentin’s voice poured over them, creating an invisible wall

around the three of them. Power rippled, the air heavy with it. Shawn
was wide awake and yet he could see himself from outside his body.
He couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, only feel. The officer seemed to be

Perfect Timing

completely under the spell the vampire was creating, staring blindly at
them. Valentin glided closer, his body almost touching the human’s,
and Shawn’s bile rose to his throat. The vampire was his, damn it! He
wanted to scream, to jerk his lover away from the policeman and hold
him close. The cop swooned on his feet, leaning into the vampire’s
body. Shawn growled again and tensed for the jump, but as if sensing
his intention, invisible cords wrapped around him, holding him in
place. The pressure wasn’t painful, but soft and warm, like a caress
against his skin. Damn, he must pack some serious mojo. The vampire
wasn’t even focusing on the therian, and yet he had him completely
under his thrall, so Shawn could only imagine the amount of power
his mate exerted over the policeman.

“You may go now.” The policeman put the gun back in its holster

with slow, unfocused moves, turned around to the car, climbed in, and
shifted into gear, looking utterly dazed.

As soon as Valentin’s voice drifted away, the electric charge in

the air seemed to dissipate. Shawn exhaled loudly, vaguely aware that
he had held his breath the entire time.

“Wow. That was…intense. Do you think it will keep?”
Valentin turned around to face him and Shawn took a step back,

startled. The vampire’s eyes were even darker than usual, wider and
somehow liquid, like the surface of a black lake on a windy night. But
the smile on his lips, though small, was warm.

“Yeah. It should.” He sounded a bit tired. “If nothing happens to

shake him up, it’ll hold. Even if it doesn’t, he’d most likely think it
was just a dream. We should clean this mess up. No reason to plant
the seed of doubt in his mind.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Shawn looked around, unsure of

himself. The car needed to be placed back on the road, but it could
wait until they had dealt with the bodies. “I don’t suppose you might
have some fireballs up your sleeve, do you?”

“Nope. Fresh out.” At Shawn’s incredulous look, the vampire

chuckled. “I’m way too young to be able to control the elements. I’m

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lucky enough to do the whole mind thing.”

Shawn made for the trunk and rummaged for the tarp he knew he

had in there.

“Yeah, what was that anyway? Can you read minds or what?”
“No. I search for a weak spot, a thread or something to allow me

to plant my suggestion inside his mind. I’m not sure how to explain it
better. But mind reading would be really cool.” His smile grew wider
until he was grinning like a child in a toy store.

Shawn shook his head but couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

“This mojo that you do, does it work with everyone?” He found the
tarp, hidden as expected in the most inaccessible place it could have
been, under the tool box, the spare tire, and the pile of junk that for
some reason kept gathering when one worked on a ranch.

“Like both humans and vampires alike? No, it doesn’t work with

vampires. Or at least not with the older ones, and I haven’t tried it on
the younger. But it should work with most humans.”

“You said you are young. Care to be more specific?”
Valentin stiffened, and Shawn knew he’d hit a nerve.
“Well?” Shawn kept probing.
“A little over three hundred,” he mumbled under his breath.
Shawn pursed his lips, thinking. It wasn’t that old. Not by

vampires’ standards or by therians’, but Valentin still had almost three
centuries over him.

“How old were you when you were turned? You don’t look older

than twenty-two or three.”

“Twenty-nine.”
“How do you create a vampire, anyway? Bled you dry and then

fed you her blood?” he asked as he retrieved the toolbox, the last
obstacle that sat between him and his target.

Valentin shrugged. “I don’t remember much.” It was a lie, but

Shawn let it slip.

“What makes you think it was a her?”
At first he didn’t understand the question. Then the meaning sank

Perfect Timing

in. His jaw dropped as the toolbox slid from his hand and landed on
his right big toe. “Oh fuck!” He slammed his fist against the side of
the car.

“Hey, you okay?”
“I didn’t…huh…I wasn’t…I just…Damn, my toe hurts! I am

sorry, I just assumed. I guess I have this idea in my head where you
being turned would involve sex.”

“It did, but I don’t see where the her fits in.” The vampire was

grinning even wider this time, obviously enjoying the shifter’s
embarrassment.

Shawn took a deep breath and went for it. “So you’re gay?”
“Assuming again, Shawn?” Valentin really seemed to enjoy

teasing him. Shawn glowered at him. If anything, the vampire grinned
wider.

“Well I’m sorry, but if it wasn’t a woman and you were having

sex, you being gay was the obvious choice.”

“Nope, it isn’t. I could be bisexual. Or it could have been

nonconsensual.”

“Oh God, I hadn’t thought of that. I’m sorry. Apparently my

neurons lost control over my mouth and it flaps at its own volition.”
He was embarrassed. He didn’t want to cause the man more pain by
bringing up old memories. It was enough he’d lived them. He should
have known that it was a sore spot for the vampire.

“Nothing to be sorry about. It wasn’t the case anyway. I was just

pointing out the other possible choices. It was consensual and it was
with a man.”

* * * *

The vampire smiled fondly at the memories. He had fallen hard

for Yuri, and when the man had offered him the gift, Valentin eagerly
accepted. Mostly, he didn’t regret it. Up until a few months ago, that
is, when everything had gone to hell, his sire had been murdered, the

Aimée Brissay

entire coven slaughtered, and Valentin ended up running for his life.
Yuri had been a good sire, and the sex between them had been good.

Speaking of great sex, I wouldn’t mind a repeat performance of

what happened earlier with Shawn. And maybe the next time I’ll be
conscious enough to fully enjoy it. The corners of his mouth twitched
and he fought back a grin.

“So are you?”
“Am I what?
Shawn scowled again. Delightful. He was so cute when he was

angry.

“Gay. Are you?”
“Yes, Shawn, I am. The question is, are you?” He purred out the

words, knowing full well that he’d get a rise out of the man.

“What?? Nooo!” The therian almost screamed out. Then he

paused, deep in thought. “I’m not gay.” He sounded less sure of
himself this time, and there was no force behind the words.

“We should get back to cleaning.”
“Yeah we should. Any idea of what we should do with the bodies?

I’d rather not drive around with corpses in the trunk, if you please.”

“There shouldn’t be a need for that. Not if nature does its job.”
“What are you talking about? I’m sure that if they were going to

crumple in a pile of ash it would have happened by now.”

“Of course not. This is not Hollywood. Dead vampires do no

disintegrate. They do, however, show their real age.” Valentin pointed
to the closest body. “Go see for yourself.”

Matheus, the vampire Shawn had killed, lay six feet away from

them. Or what was left of him. The jaguar’s claws had done a huge
amount of damage. The clothes were shredded and there should have
been pieces of flesh scattered around, but there was none of that. Or at
least, nothing one would call flesh. There were, however, bits of what
appeared to be dried skin.

The therian stepped closer to take a better look, and Valentin

snickered at the sickened expression that appeared on Shawn’s face as

Perfect Timing

what he was looking at finally registered in his mind. The vampire
remembered his own reaction when he was first confronted with a
sight like that, so he couldn’t fault the man. The years that passed
since then offered him enough opportunities to familiarize himself
with the whole process, but he still couldn’t stomach it most of the
time. Yet, puking in front of his lover, again, wasn’t an option, so he
put on his best poker face and settled for watching Shawn.

Matheus looked now like a three-thousand-year-old mummy

dressed in modern clothes. Parchment-dry, fragile, weighing no more
than a few pounds probably, strands of white hair framing a face no
longer recognizable, it was all that was left of him. The head, severed
by the jaguar fangs, was held in place just by a strip of skin. But
worse than that was smell. Oh, Valentin remembered the smell. Old
wet books, the sweet, overwhelming stench of death and a hint of
resin.

Shawn’s nose wrinkled in distaste. “That’s something you don’t

see every day.”

“Yeah, I know. The first time I stumbled across one of these, I had

nightmares for a month. It still gives me the creeps. Though, I have to
admit I prefer this new-and-improved version of these guys over the
old one.” Valentin had crossed the distance between them, and by the
time he finished speaking he was standing shoulder to shoulder with
Shawn.

“Couldn’t agree with you more. But what do we do with them?

Because I have to tell you, it would be just as difficult to explain the
presence of two mummified bodies in the back of the car as it would
be with two fresh ones. If not more so.”

“You have a point. The sun and the elements would finish the job

for us, but I’m not sure how fast it will happen. We cannot leave them
by the side of the road.”

“You sure those fireballs are out of the question?”
“Positive. But fire would be the way to go.” He kneeled next to a

corpse to take a closer look and swallowed the bile that rose to his

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throat. “They are so dry they’d burn in no time.”

Shawn threw him an incredulous look. “You have got to be

kidding me. It’s raining and these guys are soaked. No way we could
light them on fire.”

“I beg to disagree,” he purred. The shifter’s eyes turned to slits as

he caught the meaning. “But unfortunately this is not the place to
prove you wrong. You know these parts? Any suggestions?”

“Any suggestion for what? I have no idea what you want.”
“A good spot for a bonfire. Hello! Weren’t you part of the same

conversation?”

Shawn glanced around him and sniffed the air.
“There should be a ravine not too far from here. We could take

them there. I’m not sure how the path there is, or if there is one. You
up for the trip?”

Valentin looked up at the shifter and wasn’t surprised to see

uncertainty on his face. What was I expecting? I must have made a
fabulous first impression. Puking my guts out after a fight has to be
one of my finest moments. Blacking out whilst humping him had to be
even better. He must think I’m some sort of wuss. Oh who I am
kidding? I’m a wreck. He winced and realized that Shawn was still
waiting for an answer.

“Yeah, I am. In fact I haven’t felt as good in a while.” And that

was something he’d have to analyze later. “Let’s get everything into a
pile. We should put the car back on the road. It’d look less suspicious
than this.”

Shawn nodded. “What do you prefer? Front or back?”
“I can go both ways.” The opportunity had been too good to pass

on.

The therian’s head snapped up and, in spite his dark skin tone, he

blushed a furious shade of red.

“I’ll take the front,” Shawn mumbled under his breath and

bounded to the front of the SUV.

“Works for me.” Valentin smiled seductively and batted his lashes

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at the therian. His lover decided to ignore him and reached under the
plates for the proper place to put his hands so he could lift it securely.

The car, weighing well over half of a ton, wasn’t a problem.

Between the two of them, they had it back on the road in no time.
Picking up pieces of flesh and clothing from a twenty-foot radius
proved to be more challenging. Shawn had finally brought out the old
tarp and they piled on the scattered bits—who would have thought
that claws digging into a body could do this kind of damage?

Finally the last piece was placed onto the tarp and all that was left

were the biggest chunks, the two corpses. The skin was rough and
unpleasant to touch, the smell nauseating, and touching them was not
something Valentin wanted to do again. Ever. And if the grimace on
Shawn’s face was any indication, the therian wasn’t enjoying the task
either.

“All set. We should get to the ravine you were talking about, as

we still have a solid two hours of darkness.”

“So killing a vampire won’t turn him into dust but sunlight will?”

Shawn teased.

Valentin rolled his eyes. “Of course not. It just speeds the process.

And you can’t very well leave the bodies by the side of the road to
wait for the sun to incinerate them. No saying who might run into
them, and God only knows the kind of question that would raise. Can
you imagine the conversation? Ohhh, no, it’s not what it looks like.
These aren’t mummies. No, sir, they aren’t. Honestly.”

The shifter turned to glare at him, and the vampire met his gaze

head-on, his face a perfect picture of innocence. Wild-eyed, lips
slightly agape, the only thing missing from the picture was a halo
above Valentin’s head.

“You have a point there. Just don’t let it go to your head.” The

therian bent over and reached for the tarp’s closest corner.

“I’ll have you know I’m always right.” Valentin knew he sounded

like a spoiled child, but he couldn’t stop himself. He’d fainted, puked,
lost control of his senses, and almost got killed in front of this man.

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He couldn’t sink any lower. Why it mattered so much, he didn’t
know, but it did, so he was willing to try anything to improve his
image in Shawn’s eyes. He felt good about himself for about two
seconds, until his lover spoke again.

“I’m sure you are. That’s probably the reason you’re now running

for your life,” Shawn shot back without even looking up. “Less talk
and more work.” He grabbed the tarp’s side end and motioned
Valentin to do the same.

* * * *

The stupid thing wasn’t heavy, Valentin had to admit it, but the

path through the woods made carrying that tarp difficult. And he’d be
damned if he’d utter a single word of complaint. The blood he’d
ingested helped a little, but it wasn’t enough. He still had the
occasional head rush, and his eyesight was sometimes fuzzy. But
what made everything seem better was the view of the shifter’s bare
chest, still wet from sweat and rain, and the play of the muscles under
the skin. Just a couple of inches shorter, Shawn’s body wasn’t very
broad or bulky, but the muscles were well defined. Dark nipples on a
smooth chest, not a hair in sight, perfectly chiseled six-pack over an
interesting bulge in front of those battered jeans, and strong thighs.
Too bad he didn’t get to taste all that glorious skin. The only thing
that would make him feel even better was a better view of that tight
ass. That particular part of anatomy required a much closer
examination. Repeatedly.

Wishful thinking from his part, as he knew it in his gut that the

shifter wasn’t gay. Most likely he was already regretting that short
episode between them. Valentin considered himself lucky the jaguar
hadn’t kicked his ass afterwards. True, the vampire hadn’t initiated
the first kiss, but he should have stopped it. He’d had enough
experience, he shouldn’t let his cock make decisions for him. But,
damn, it felt good. Better than good. His dick twitched in approval.

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He was willing to bet money his cock hadn’t gone completely soft
since he’d met the shifter. Wind whirled and Shawn’s scent punched
him in the stomach. He sniffed the air discreetly, hoping his gesture
would be translated as an attempt to make sure they were safe, but
judging by the smirk on his lover’s face he’d failed miserably. How
did Shawn know that his was the only scent Valentin could feel from
the thousand different smells bound to be all around them?

He pushed his fears into the farthest corner of his mind, knowing

well enough that he’d have to face them eventually and hoping it
would be later rather than sooner. He tore his gaze away from the
gorgeous man walking in front of him and focused on the task at
hand. They were, or Shawn was, carrying the tarp through the trees
along what Valentin assumed was the path Shawn had been talking
about, though he couldn’t see any trace of it, and tripping and falling
on his nose would be a whole new level of embarrassment, something
Valentin didn’t want to experience.

They reached the ravine and lowered the burden to the ground.

The vampire looked down, searching for a crevice in the slope,
something deep enough to provide the protection needed against any
prying eyes. Speaking of which… “What are your senses telling you?
Are we alone?”

Shawn’s lips quirked in a small, knowing smile, but he did as

instructed. His nostrils flared, scenting the air, and his ears twitched,
straining to pick out anything that didn’t belong in the forest at three
o’clock in the morning.

“Yes, we are. Now that we are here, what happens next? Dump

them in here and leave? Even if it’s not a well-known area, I’m sure
there are some people familiar with it. They are bound to come this
way eventually.”

“I’m sure you’re right. That’s why we are not going to throw them

in. We are gonna burn them.”

“And we’re back at the fireballs.”
Oh boy, the cat could be annoying. Luckily for him, he was hot.

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Valentin rolled his eyes at Shawn, wondering how much more he
could annoy the man. “You really should get over it, you know?
People might get the wrong idea. Like you have a fireball fetish.” He
winked at the therian, throwing him his most wicked smile.

“Ohh, aren’t you smart.”
“I’ve heard that one before. Mostly from my mother.” If looks

could kill…

“Anyway. You want to burn those guys to ashes. And how exactly

do you plan on doing it? It has been raining for three days straight.
Every piece of wood here is soaked, and even if you manage to light
it, the smoke would be visible from a five-mile radius.”

“We don’t need wood.”
“Sorry to break this to you, but you can’t barbeque without wood.

Or coal. Or both. And in case you haven’t noticed, we don’t have any
of that either.”

“We don’t need any of those.”
“Okay, wise ass. What do you plan on using? Leaves? I’m not an

expert here, but I don’t think it’s going to work. Assuming they were
dry enough to light, I doubt they will be sufficient to incinerate a
body. “

“Thank you. I wasn’t aware of that.” Sarcasm was dripping from

his voice. Damn, just how stupid did Shawn think he was? “Of course
leaves are not enough. And even if they were, we don’t have that kind
of time. The sooner we are back on the road, the better. The one that
got away is very powerful. He knows where I, we, are and it gives me
the creeps.”

“Couldn’t agree with you more.” Shawn sighed, exasperated.

“Fine, how do we do this?”

Valentin’s eyes never left the slope, and having found the perfect

spot for his task, he was now mapping the easiest way down.

“See those two boulders over there?” The vampire lifted his hand

and pointed toward a small group of rocks at the base of the ravine. At
Shawn’s nod, he continued. “It looks like they form a cone with a big

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enough base to suit our needs. It’s not much, but it would do.”

Shawn stepped closer to the edge and checked the slant, probably

wishing he were alone, his next words confirming Valentin’s
suspicions.

“Why do we need to go down there? We could bury them here

and no one would find them.”

“No good. We don’t have tools to dig deep enough to be sure the

bodies won’t be found. The earth is too soft, and wild animals might
dig them out. Imagine tourists finding them. I don’t know if you
looked close enough, but their fangs are descended. Besides, old
vampires can regenerate themselves in the ground, given enough time.
Someone could stumble upon them and their blood would speed the
healing process. Fire is the best way to make sure that doesn’t happen.
I want to get there because chances are no one would get down there
and search the hearth too closely. I’ve heard that teeth and pieces of
bones can be found in the ashes after incineration.”

* * * *

Regenerate? Shawn glared at the vampire. His lover was acting all

high and mighty, but he was right. All he knew about Valentin’s
world consisted mostly of legends and myths, so who was he to
question him? But damn, if it was true, they were in deep shit. Those
bloodsuckers could regenerate themselves? That was the closest thing
to true immortality he’d ever heard of. Sure, the were-population had
a long life expectancy, some of the elders being well over two
thousand years old, but none of them could revive themselves. Once
shifters died, they stayed dead.

He examined Valentin from head to toe. He is so thin. It can’t be

healthy. Is there such thing as an anorexic vampire? He doesn’t seem
strong enough to carry a feather. The wounds have finally sealed
over, but he’s still far too pale. Maybe he should have fed more? And,
God, those eyes! One can get lost in them. So big and dark, they seem

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to take in everything at once. And those lips! Sweet merciful God,
those lips! Soft, pliant, arrogant, and vulnerable at the same time, and
oh-so-sexy. His cock throbbed behind his fly and he’d have adjusted
himself if he could have done it without drawing attention. He
wiggled his hips a little, and not only did the movement not bring on
the expected relief, but it made matters worse as the fabric rubbed
against his hardened flesh, and he had to bite back a moan.

As if sensing his predicament, Valentin’s lips pulled upwards into

a smile showing a bit of fang. Show off! You don’t like being under
scrutiny, either. That’s too bad, because I like looking at you, and I
plan on doing it a lot. Shit! As the words passed his mind, he knew
they were true. He planned on keeping Valentin, but to have the man
for his own, he needed to keep him alive first, and from the looks of
things, it wouldn’t be easy.

He pursed his lips and crossed his arms over his chest in a

threatening manner, glowering at the vampire.

“You want to get down there? Fine. I can take you there, but

you’ll follow my instructions to the letter. You think you can do
that?”

At his harsh tone, the vampire straightened his back and lifted his

chin defiantly. Valentin met his eyes for a brief second and nodded
royally. There had to be some blue blood running in his veins, Shawn
could have bet anything on that. He’d have to remember to ask about
that later.

“The ground is soaked and the earth soft. A wrong step, even half

an inch, would be enough to send you rolling down. I don’t know
what kind of damage your kind can sustain, but I’m not entirely sure
those rules apply to you, too.” He used his best teaching voice, the
one he’d used with misbehaving cubs, but he couldn’t say how much
of that was getting through to his lover. “No offense,” Shawn added
to somehow sweeten the insult.

“None taken.”
“The gravel is even trickier. It’s slippery and might be covered in

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a film of moss. You will have to step exactly in my footprints. Exactly
in them. Also, you’ll keep at least one step between us.”

“I will be carrying half of the tarp, so stepping exactly on your

footprints isn’t an option.”

“No, you won’t.”
When Shawn failed to detail further, Valentin turned to look at

him. “I won’t be what?”

“You won’t be carrying anything. I will be. You just focus on

getting down in one piece.”

The vampire’s eyes gleamed dangerously in the dark. “I can hold

my own. I don’t need any favors.”

Shawn sighed. “I’m sure you can. But you are so thin, the softest

breeze would knock you on your ass. For some reason, you push all
my protective buttons. So, until we part ways, I will most likely be an
overbearing ass.”

“Something tells me you being an overbearing ass is your natural

state. And I’m not helpless.” He was glaring daggers at the shifter.
Shawn chuckled and couldn’t stop thinking how cute the vampire was
when flustered. Valentin’s eyes flashed again dangerously, and the
shifter made a mental note to further explore this particular side of his
lover.

He flashed the vampire a wide grin and picked up the tarp’s

corners, careful not to spill anything in the process, and tied them in a
double knot. In a swift move, he threw the bundle over his right
shoulder, wiggling it a bit to balance it. With a last threatening glance
at the vampire, as if saying behave yourself! Shawn turned around and
took the first steps down.

* * * *

Valentin watched Shawn’s easy grace, every step perfectly

balanced, no hesitations, no unnecessary movements. The extra
weight didn’t seem to strain him whatsoever. The vampire matched

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the other man’s steps, keeping a few feet between them, just as he’d
been told. The shifter had been right, the descent was difficult, wet
and slippery, and Valentin was grateful he wasn’t carrying the extra
burden the therian was carrying.

The sky had cleared and the stars shone brightly. The extra light

was nice, but that only meant they needed to hurry. Shawn maintained
a steady pace, not too fast, not too slow, making it fairly easy for
Valentin to follow him. At times, the vampire could hear him sniff or
see his ears twitch, his senses probably on high alert. Valentin had
never been more acutely aware of another’s presence as he was right
then. His eyes glued themselves to the shifter the entire way down,
and despite his best efforts, they tended to slide down to the man’s
ass. And his lover felt his gaze. The vampire could have sworn he saw
Shawn tensing up every time his gaze wandered to that particular part
of his anatomy. The shifter didn’t seem to be bothered by his
attentions, but Valentin didn’t want to push him too far too fast, so he
tried keeping his eyes to himself.

Halfway down the slope, his foot slipped. One second everything

was fine, the next he was sliding down the slope on his butt, feet first.
Luckily it wasn’t too steep. Somehow he managed to hit every rock
on the way, stopping at Shawn’s feet. So much for a vampire’s grace
and sense of balance.

The shifter crooked an eyebrow and let out a sigh, managing to

look both exasperated and amused.

“You okay?”
Valentin pushed himself up, looking sheepish. “Yeah, I am.”
Shawn nodded and continued his trip down, throwing a small jibe

over his shoulder.

“Try staying on your feet this time.”
Valentin fought the impulse to stick his tongue out at the shifter’s

back, fearing it would make him look like a brat. Not the impression
he wanted to make on the man in whose pants he desperately wanted
to get. But damn it, he was spoiled, and he liked it this way. He’d led

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a sheltered life, before and after, and from the beginning, he’d been
Yuri’s favorite fledgling.

He looked over his shoulder to assess the damage done to his

pants, but they were in such a state, he quickly gave up on the idea of
brushing himself off. He was soaked to the bone, covered in blood,
and God knows what else, so a little mud and a few grass stains
weren’t such a big deal. The clothes were ruined anyway.

* * * *

“What now, fang boy?”
They were sitting next to the boulders, the tarp at Shawn’s feet.

Valentin was halfway buried in the cone formed by the rocks, and he
had to extricate himself to answer. Shawn waited patiently, enjoying
the sight offered by the vampire on his knees with his ass in the air.
At least this time he didn’t panic when he realized where his thoughts
were heading.

“It has good ventilation so it would do its job. It’s big enough to

shove both bodies and all the extra parts. And it’s mostly dry. Give
me a hand.” Valentin made quick work of untying the knot and
grabbed the closest corpse. It was so dry it crumpled under his touch
with the nauseating sounds of gravel being stepped onto.

“Man, that’s gross.”
Shawn grunted under his breath, but moved forward to offer a

hand. When everything was finally stuck under the stone cone,
Valentin was bouncing like a kid at Christmas.

“How old are you? Twelve?”
“What? I’m just enjoying a job well done.”
“Well done? It will be done when these babies are ashes.”
“Good point. Hand me a match.”
Shawn turned a shocked look at Valentin. “We came all the way

here, climbed down over six hundred feet on wet grass, all the while
carrying that…” he shoved his hands toward the bodies, “…with the

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intention of burning them, and you didn’t think to bring matches?”
Shawn’s voice, at first just above a whisper, was now a full-blown
shout.

“Shhht! Quiet down. You’ll draw attention,” Valentin chided. “It’s

not like you thought to bring any matches.” He rested his fist on his
hips in a challenging pose and he scowled at the shifter. “Or did
you?”

“Nope. Not a single one. I thought you had things under control.”

Shawn glanced at the vampire to find him worrying his lower lip,
looking aghast. “Don’t you have some magic trick up your sleeve to
make them burst into flames? We don’t need flames, I’m sure some
sparks would do.” He couldn’t help teasing.

“You could rub two stick together. I’ve heard it works.”
“Why me?”
“Because you seem to be the type?”
“What type?” The little shit!
“The woodsy kind of guy.” At Shawn’s glare the vampire just

rolled his eyes. “You are a shifter. If there is someone who knows
about the great outdoors and running with the wolves it’s gotta be
you.”

Shawn took two steps forward, crowding the vampire’s personal

space, arms crossed over his chest, brows furrowed, a muscle
twitching in his jaw. A rabid dog would have had second thoughts
about taking him on. Valentin chuckled. The therian should have been
used to challenges of all kinds, he’d lived within a pride his entire life,
but never had he reacted so strongly to anyone.

“Let me explain to you, wiseass. I am a jaguar, not a wolf. I do

not run with the wolves. I hunt alone, and if not, I run with other cats,
not dogs. And just because I am a shifter that doesn’t automatically
means I know what to do in the wild. I don’t go camping, I don’t
know how to make a fire or how to set up a tent for that matter. I pick
up the scent of the prey and I hunt it down. End of story.”

“Okay, okay, point taken. What do you suggest we do now? Go

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back to the truck and search for matches?”

“Nope. Once again, the cat saves the day.”
“Once again? Oh, get over yourself.”
“Do you want this done or not?”
“Knock yourself out.”
“Watch and learn, pretty boy.”

* * * *

“Pretty boy?” That was so embarrassing. He wasn’t cute, he

wasn’t pretty. He was manly. He was big. He was dangerous. Oh,
who was he kidding? He was just a skinny, klutzy nerd who happened
to be a vampire.

“You are pretty. Now, look here.” He stepped closer to the rocks.

“What do you think? Should we bring in some leaves and firewood,
or would these guys catch fire as they are?”

Valentin decided to let the “pretty boy” remark slip for now, more

interested in what his lover was doing. “I’m not sure, but where’s the
harm in trying? Try to light them as they are. It should work, but if it
doesn’t we can always go look for some dry wood or something.”

Shawn reached out and touched the inner surface of the rocks,

searching for something. When his palm lingered on a certain spot,
Valentin knew he’d found it.

“It’s hard enough, it should work.” The words were just a

whisper, like he was thinking out loud. “At least it’s dry.” He took his
hand out, and Valentin’s eyes almost popped out. Shawn’s palm had
changed, fur sprouting from under the skin, soft pads replacing the
calluses on his palm, fingers thickening, deadly looking claws
emerging.

The vampire’s gaze flew up, catching Shawn’s grin. The shifter’s

pupils were vertical, black slits, and the irises glowed silvery in the
dark. Shawn flashed his paw, the only transformed part of his body, in
front of Valentin and in a swift, powerful move, dragged his claws

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over the spot he found earlier, leaving an explosion of sparks in their
wake. Some of them landed on the piled corpses, and everything burst
into flames so fast it looked like the sky at New Year’s Eve, minus all
the sounds and colors. Shawn jerked his hand back, not fast enough,
and the air filled with the smell of burned fur.

Valentin took a hasty step forward, resting a hand on the shifter’s

shoulder. “Hey, you okay?”

“Whoa! That was fast!” Shawn held his paw up and before the

vampire’s fascinated eyes, it changed again, the entire process in
reverse, much slower than the first time, until the palm appeared,
smooth and undamaged from the fire. The therian shrugged.

“Yeah, I guess I am. Just smoked a few whiskers. Nothing life

threatening.”

Valentin narrowed his eyes at the shifter. “You like to have

everything under control, don’t you?”

Shawn scowled. It seemed he was doing a lot of that lately. But

for all Valentin knew, scowling could have been the guy’s natural
expression.

“Yeah, I kinda do.”
Valentin snickered. He’d expected nothing else. “Well, in this

case, it wouldn’t do for me to tell you that your pants are on fire.”

“Huh?”
God! The look on Shawn’s face was priceless. Valentin bit his lips

to stop another chuckle, as he had a feeling Shawn wouldn’t
appreciate it at all, and pointed to the hem of the other man’s jeans,
where a flame was slowly licking its way up the leg. “It might be a
good idea to step back while you still have your eyebrows.”

Before the words were completely out of his mouth, Shawn had

jumped from his crouched position, stumbled, and landed flat on his
ass. His hands flew to his ankle, patting away the flames.

“Who’s the klutz now?”
“You could have said something sooner, you know?”
“Now, where is the fun in that?”

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Shawn’s eyes flashed, dark and dangerous, and he pounced. One

second Valentin was taunting the feline, the other he was laying flat
on his back, his arms full of Shawn. The vampire’s legs spread open
on their own volition, knees bent, soles planted on the ground beneath
him, and Shawn settled between them like he had been doing this his
entire life. The shifter was flushed against him, their bodies fitting
perfectly together, and Valentin couldn’t contain a groan. The man
smelled and felt like heaven. They had yet to fuck, but he knew they
would be a perfect match. Oh, God! Dare I hope? The disappointment
might kill him.

“Hi.”
“Hi yourself.”
Shawn seemed surprised, his eyes a darker shade of gray, his

pupils dilated. Valentin knew the exact moment when the therian
realized just how close they were by the hitch in his breath. The
pupils dilated even more, and his cock grew hard. Valentin’s dick
thickened in response.

“You feel good.”
“So do you. I take it you don’t mind me being a man?”
Shawn regarded him with the most intense gaze.
“I’m not entirely sure of what I feel about the whole man-on-man

thing yet, but you feel right in my arms.” His gaze trailed over the
vampire’s face, slowly, like a caress, and settled on his lips. “I’ve
never been with a man before.”

So many emotions whirled in Shawn’s eyes, everything the

vampire had expected to find there, and something more. Valentin
took the chance and opened himself up to everything the shifter felt.
The link was strong, stronger than he’d anticipated, and it threw him
for a loop. Shawn’s eyes grew darker, wider in shock, searching his,
and the vampire wondered if he felt the connection.

“As long as you are willing to try, we can work out the details

between us.”

Shawn rested his arms on each side of the vampire’s head and

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leaned in until they were separated only by a hairbreadth. His words
were a harsh whisper. “You are a man, and yet I want you so bad I
ache with it. My lips burn with the need to kiss you. I’m so hard my
dick is ready to burst through my zipper. I want to lose myself in
you.”

A low moan escaped Valentin’s lips at Shawn’s words, and his

cock got painfully hard. He felt the other man’s hot breath on his lips,
and he wondered how it would feel on other parts of his body. “Why
don’t you?”

Shawn growled deep, possessive, the sound sending a fresh, new

wave of arousal through Valentin’s body, and caught the vampire’s
lips into a scorching kiss. There was no gentleness, no shyness, just a
hot need. Their tongues collided, Shawn asking for submission, and
Valentin was more than happy to oblige. The vampire’s body melted
into his lover’s, need taking control over his body. Soft whimpers
reached his ears, and it took him a while to realize that they were
coming from him.

Valentin got lost in the kiss, every sweep of Shawn’s tongue in his

mouth taking him higher. His gums ached with the need to mark the
man as his own. His hands came up and wrapped around the shifter’s
body, clutching, as he poured his soul into the kiss.

* * * *

For Shawn it was like an awakening. The moment the vampire

opened himself up to him, everything fell into place. It no longer
mattered who or what Valentin was. He felt good under him, just as a
mate should. He reveled in the smell and taste of his man. He wanted
to rub himself on Valentin, to mark him with his scent.

The kiss was brutal, bruising, and all Shawn could do was fight

the ache in his gums, the need to bite and claim his mate. When their
emotions mixed, the shifter almost lost the fight. The vampire felt
hard and yet soft, pliant, and Shawn wanted his submission more than

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anything. He growled again and deepened the kiss. Valentin moaned
under him, needy and desperate, and the sound went straight to his
groin.

Shawn’s tongue explored, imprinting taste and shapes in every

cell of his brain. His lover held nothing back, feelings, sensations,
need, all pouring into Shawn. The vampire arched his back, pushing
his hard cock against Shawn’s, and his fangs dropped. The therian ran
his tongue over the length of those fangs, and Valentin lost control.

“Skin. Now.” He broke the kiss and pushed himself onto all fours

above the vampire, and in a swift move had the shirt covering his
lover’s body in shreds.

The shifter paused for a moment to take in the sight his lover

made, thin, but with an iron-strong core, with fine, elegant bones and
pearly skin glowing in the moonlight. The nipples were pink and taut
and called to him like a magnet. I wonder how sensitive they are.
Only one way to find out. He reached out and rubbed the tips of his
fingers over the left one, and Valentin shivered under the touch.
Shawn froze, and his eyes flew to meet the vampire’s.

“Am I…Am I hurting you?” His voice was coarse, and he hoped

to God he wouldn’t have to stop touching.

Valentin managed a strangled laugh. “God, no! Don’t stop.” His

tone was pleading, and in that moment Shawn knew without a doubt
that he would do anything the vampire would ask of him.

The shifter ran his fingers again over the puckered flesh, rubbing

it between his thumb and forefinger, eliciting another moan from the
vampire. Shawn bent over for another kiss, his lover meeting him
halfway. He tugged gently on the nipple and swallowed the vampire’s
small cries of pleasure.

Shawn pulled his lips away from Valentin’s and rained small

kisses over his cheek and jaw, latching on the perfectly shaped
earlobe, sucking it hard in time with his fingers over the nipple.

“You taste so good. Did you know that? You. Are. Sweet. And.

Soft. And. Feel. So. Good.” The words were whispered between more

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kisses over his lover’s face. Valentin whimpered and arched his back,
his head thrown back, exposing his throat in a silent offering.

The look on the vampire’s face matched the submissiveness of the

gesture, the eyes darker than ever, glazed, half-lidded, and the
offering was too much for Shawn to refuse. He let out a possessive
growl and he slammed his mouth over the soft skin under Valentin’s
ear. He bit, hard enough to feel it, but not enough to break the skin,
and sucked, drawing the blood closer to the surface.

“Oh, God! Harder!” Shawn wasn’t sure what his lover was asking

for, for him to suck harder or for harder nipple play, and maybe the
vampire didn’t know either. The shifter’s mouth shifted to the other
nipple and, Valentin’s hips lifted off the ground. He let his hand roam
freely, eager to learn the gorgeous body under him, the soft, smooth
skin covering the ribs, taut abs, the soft patch of skin above the waist
of those painted-on jeans.

The moans and whimpers Valentin made were coming off louder

and louder, the sweetest music in Shawn’s ears. He knew he had to
hurry or he’d embarrass himself, coming in his jeans like a horny
teenager.

* * * *

Valentin was on fire, so aroused he thought he might explode.

Once the link between them had been opened, he’d been unable to
seal it again, but in that moment, with Shawn on top of him, he
couldn’t care less. Everything his lover felt, arousal, a huge amount of
possessiveness, hell, the man was practical screaming mine in his
head, and the joy of discovery, was mixing with his own emotions
until he couldn’t tell where Shawn’s ended and his began.

The mouth on his body was doing amazing things, and every

touch of his lover’s hand on his skin was sending fresh, new waves of
heat through his body. Every cell, every atom in him was awake.
Nothing around him mattered anymore, not the chill of the night, or

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the wet ground at his back, just the man holding him in his arms and
the response said man was awakening in him.

Shawn’s hand trailed to the waistband of his jeans, and Valentin

pushed his hips upwards, searching for more friction. He felt Shawn’s
brief hesitation, his hand hovering just above the snap of the jeans, oh,
God, don’t stop now, and allowed himself to breathe only when the
snap was popped open and a warm hand wormed its way inside his
pants. The hand enveloped his aching cock, and he almost lost it then
and there.

Valentin lifted his shoulders from the ground, sneaked a hand

around Shawn’s neck, and jerked his head up, crashing their mouths
together. The other hand went straight for the shifter’s fly and,
without much fumbling with the zipper, he had his hand on the prize.
The heated episode from earlier had been nice and everything, but he
wanted more. All of it. When his hand first touched Shawn’s dick, the
shifter hid his face in the crook of his neck, his breath coming out in
pants.

The vampire stilled and let out a loud cry when a callused palm

rubbed around the head of his cock. Desperate for more contact, his
other hand joined the first one at the waistband of Shawn’s jeans and
tried to push them lower. Down! Now! Fuck! NOW! His movements
matched his frantic thoughts. It was a wonder he managed to lower
them in one piece without ripping those damn things in the process.

“Oh, God! I need.” Shawn growled.
“It’s okay, baby, I’ve got you. I know what you need.” It felt good

to be the one in control. The fact that Shawn was actually on top of
him was unimportant. Valentin was the one calling the shots. The
shifter was humping against him, pushing his cock between his hands,
his entire body shaking. In that moment, he was Shawn’s whole
world, and that knowledge alone was enough to send him over the
edge.

* * * *

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Raw need rushed through Shawn body. His pupils changed,

glowing in the dark and turning to slits, his fangs sprang free and sank
into the tender flesh between Valentin’s shoulder and his neck. Blood
gushed in his mouth, and for the second time that evening the taste of
his mate hit his palate. My mate. The words weren’t terrifying as he’d
expected, but filled him with a joy more intense than anything else he
ever felt before. The walls he’d erected all his life around his heart
shattered.

Valentin’s cock was throbbing against his own, his hand hot and

rough on his skin and the first tingles of an impending orgasm made
his balls draw tight. He tightened his grip around the body under him
and drew another mouthful of blood. The vampire bucked and
shuddered and came with a rush, wet heat splashing over his stomach.
The smell of his release and the small jerks the vampire’s cock gave
against his own sent Shawn over the edge. With the last bit of control,
he pulled his fangs out and let himself go. His eyes squeezed shut,
nose buried in the vampire’s hair, he rode out each wave of pleasure
shaking his body.

* * * *

The vampire kept rubbing both of their cocks through Shawn’s

release, the rhythm slowly decreasing only after the shifter’s body
stopped jerking on top of him. The therian’s head was still hidden in
the crook of Valentin’s shoulder so he couldn’t see his face, but he
could smell Shawn’s release and it was intoxicating. Spit pooled in
his mouth. Would it taste as good as it smelled? Only one way to find
out. He extracted his hand from between their bodies and brought the
cum-splashed fingers to his mouth. Sensing the move, Shawn lifted
his head, his eyes still wild and a bit dazed. Locking his eyes with the
shifter’s, Valentin stuck out his tongue and licked their mixed seed
from his fingers. Before the movement was completed, his insides

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clenched, fear of how his gesture would be received burning him and
yet he was unable, and unwilling, to stop himself. If that was
everything he was going to have with Shawn, he wanted to make the
most out of it.

The gray eyes followed intently every move, reminding him of the

magnificent feline lurking under Shawn’s skin. Valentin licked his
fingers clean, briefly wishing it was only his lover he was tasting. He
is gonna bolt. Any minute now he will realize what he is doing and
whom he is doing it with and will run like crazy in the other direction.
Assuming he wouldn’t kick my ass first.

* * * *

Unaware of the direction Valentin’s thoughts were leading in,

Shawn was fighting a fresh wave of arousal as he watched the tip of
the vampire’s rose tongue lick the cum from his fingers. A slow growl
rumbled through his chest and his eyes shifted once again to slits.

“That’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” Shawn drawled out.
Valentin’s eyes widened up to the size of saucers. He swallowed

loudly. “Not trying to ruin the party here, but you do realize with
whom you were just rolling in the mud, right?”

Shawn chuckled. “Of course.”
“Uhmmm…did you by any chance notice that I am a man?” He

frowned.

The shifter shook with laughter as his eyes glowed with arousal.

“Yeah, I did notice that small detail.”

Valentin shoved his fist playfully into Shawn’s shoulder, the most

threatening scowl he thought himself capable of on his face. “Small? I
might not be hung like a horse, but I’m not small either.”

The shifter’s eyes grew dark, his gaze trailing down the vampire’s

body, and his husky voice sent a surge of hope through Valentin’s
chest. “You’re right. Nothing small about you.” And he smiled
mischievously before continuing. “Though some meat on your bones

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wouldn’t hurt you.”

This time Valentin shoved him harder, almost managing to budge

the shifter away. “Now I’m skinny, too?”

“No offense, kid, but you are skinny.” He bucked under the hard

body pressed into his. To his utter dismay, his own body reacted
instantly at the contact, his cock hardening so fast his head almost
spun, and it only fueled his anger. Small? Skinny? Kid? He didn’t
know which insult to address first. He knew the shifter was baiting
him, and it felt right, and that scared the crap out of him. Assuming
that he was still capable of performing said bodily function, which
wasn’t the case.

“Have you forgotten so easily just how old I am?”
“No. I remember exactly how old you are. But three hundred

years is really not that much in your world. And you do look like a
kid, with those big, innocent eyes.”

Valentin’s eyes flashed. “I’m not a kid, and I’m not innocent.”

* * * *

Riling the vampire was proving to be so much fun. Especially

when his eyes were throwing daggers and he was all flustered and
spitting mad. If he didn’t know any better, Shawn could have sworn
his lover was a cat. A feisty, gorgeous feline. And he’d be damned if
he didn’t like the image. Speaking of which…”Are you planning on
fainting again? Because I want a fair warning in case you throw up
again.”

“What?” Dark eyes widened, and embarrassment colored

Valentin’s cheeks.

“Don’t be so outraged. You did throw up. And fainted. For the life

of me I can’t understand the whys.”

Valentin pushed at Shawn’s shoulders, and this time the shifter

allowed him to escape his arms. The vampire stood, shoulders
hunched, movements shaky. He stepped away, putting some space

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between them, not meeting Shawn’s eyes. “I’m dying.”

The words were softer than a whisper and the shifter had to strain

himself to catch them. At first he just stared, his mind blank of all
thoughts, then the meaning sank in and his stomach lurched.

“I’m not sure I understand.”
Valentin whirled around. “What is there to understand? My

wording was pretty much self-explanatory.”

Deciding that having this conversation with his bare ass on the

ground and his dick hanging out wasn’t going to cut it, Shawn pushed
himself up and tucked himself in. He took a long whiff like he was
trying to gauge the state of the other man’s health. “I’m no expert
here, but to my knowledge, vampires are disease-proof. And you do
not smell like you’re dying. Just a bit off, like you’re sick or
something.” He didn’t sound too convinced in his own ears either, so
he couldn’t blame Valentin for the dejected look in his eyes.

“You are right. We are. And I am. Dying, I mean.”
“Why?”
Valentin turned around, uncomfortable under the weight of

Shawn’s gaze. “Poison.”

“Wow. I didn’t know poison works on vampires.”
“Not your everyday kind of poison. But there are some.”
“Your everyday kind poison? Are you shitting me? Who uses

poison on a daily basis?” He shook his head at the vampire’s
surprised look and raised his hand to stop him before he could speak.
“Wait. Don’t answer that. I’m not sure I want to know.”

A soft chuckle escaped Valentin.
I could get used to this sound. Longing hit him hard. Longing for

another’s touch, for this man’s, and for the first time, to share his life
with someone. No. Not someone. My mate. But if the vampire was
right, and Shawn had no reason to doubt him, time was the one thing
they didn’t have. The burning in his gut intensified.

“Why would someone use poison on a vampire? Don’t get me

wrong, but wouldn’t it be easier to just take your head off? Run a

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stake through your heart, stuff you with garlic or something?”

Valentin stared at him, a smile tugging at the corners of his

mouth. “We should go. Sun will be up shortly.”

Shawn threw his hands in the air, playing a cool he didn’t feel.

“Let me guess. Sun burns you to ashes.”

“If that were the case, why did we have to bother bringing those

guys all the way here? We could have left them by the side of the road
for the sun to do its job, don’t you think? It’s just that I’m not feeling
so hot and I need some rest. And to get the hell away from here.”

“Okay. That’s sounds reasonable. Where to?”
Valentin stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the shifter.

“What do you mean ‘where to’? I am going into hiding. Some R&R
without the R.” At Shawn’s blank stare he cocked an eyebrow as he
continued, “Rest and recreation, without the recreational part.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”
“You know…MASH 4077, Hawkeye Pierce, Frank Burns, Hot

Lips Houlihan. Boy, you’re young.” The vampire turned around and
continued the trip back to the car. Shawn stood his ground for a few
seconds and then scrambled after him.

“I might be young, but even I know it’s not polite to walk away on

someone. ‘Specially in the middle of a conversation.” A grunt was his
only answer, and he was left to worry the whole way back.

* * * *

They neared the car as the first rays of dawn reddened the sky. For

Valentin, the minutes before sunrise were always the hardest. He felt
sluggish, like he was moving through a thick fluid. His body felt
heavier, a huge weight pressing on his chest, choking him, muscles
and bones constricting to the point of pain. Good thing he didn’t need
to breathe. Or he’d really be dead.

“Hey, are you all right?”
A hand landed on his shoulder, and despite its gentleness, the

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pressure almost brought him to his knees. “Yesss.” He willed the
word out through clenched teeth.

“Are you sure? You don’t look okay to me. Maybe you should sit

down.” His first reaction would have been to roll his eyes, but
Shawn’s concern moved him. He knew he was reading too much into
it, but damn it felt good. The pressure around him heightened to new
levels and the world tightened around him. The sun finally rose, and
the invisible strings choking him loosened. But it all happened too
late. He vaguely heard Shawn yelling his name and blackness claimed
him once more.

Aimée Brissay

Chapter 3

Valentin’s knees wobbled and buckled.
“Oh, crap!” Shawn lunged, a second too late. The vampire’s head

hit the ground and he remained still. The therian fell to his knees next
to him.

“What do I do now?” he wondered aloud.
Valentin’s chest wasn’t moving, and Shawn cursed himself for not

noticing if the vampire was breathing before or not. He checked the
carotid for a pulse, and only the softest ripples reached his fingers. He
placed his ear on his lover’s chest and listened intently. The
heartbeats were faint and highly irregular, but they were there. The
sun broke through the horizon and bathed them in light. The gap
between the beats grew wider and Shawn’s own heart stilled for a
second. Was the vampire dying for the day as those in the movies did,
or was it the poison to blame?

The first vibration of a car’s engine tickled Shawn’s ears, and he

knew it was time to go. He cradled his lover in his arms and placed
him gently in the front seat. Thank God they’d put the vehicle back on
the road before they disposed of the bodies. He idly patted his pockets
in search of the keys and remembered that he wouldn’t need any, as
Valentin had hot-wired the car in the first place. He climbed behind
the wheel, brought the wires together, and the engine sprung to life.
He drove one-handed, the other one resting gently on the vampire’s
chest, searching for the pulse with deft fingers.

* * * *

Perfect Timing

What was he supposed to do now? He knew nothing about

vampire physiology or how to help his mate. His mate. How did that
happen? Sure, he’d heard of mates before, but in the feline kingdom
they were so rare. Wolves were luckier, as they were prone to mate
for life by their nature, and they cherished the bond as something
precious. Felines, not so much. They were solitary creatures, hunted
mostly alone, and met only for procreation purposes. Sure, it
happened sometimes, but those few who mated were regarded as
oddities.

His parents had been bonded, and he’d witnessed firsthand what it

had meant for his mother to lose Gregory, Shawn’s father. She would
have died, too, if not for baby Shawn. After her first husband’s death,
she’d been ordered to marry Timothei, Lucan’s father, due to political
reasons, and while Alec had always been a kind leader, she’d been
miserable with her new husband and had slowly faded away until
there was nothing left but an empty shell. And now she was dead.

Which brought Shawn back to the beginning. He didn’t want a

mate. He never wanted the complications, and a male and a vampire
on top of that, half-dead and on the run, was bound to be just that. But
it was too late now. He knew without a doubt that the man next to him
was his Fated One. The attraction, the possessiveness he’d felt toward
Valentin since the beginning, the loss of control, the link between
them, they all said the same thing. Mate. Fuck! Fuck! What was he
supposed to do now?

He needed answers, but he couldn’t take Valentin to Alec and,

providing he’d be willing to help, they wouldn’t make it there alive
anyway, mated or not. He had only a handful of friends due to his
stepfather’s malicious presence, and since he didn’t know what he
was up against, he hesitated to bring any of them into this.

The only one who could have provided some help was an old

buddy, Andrei. Last Shawn had heard, he’d taken control over his
pack, but Andrei lived down in Bucharest and it was a long way there,
crossing through countless pack and pride territories for which Shawn

Aimée Brissay

didn’t have permission to pass, nor were there any hopes to get them.
He reckoned they could follow the borderlines or the main roads,
which were fair game, but any straying could mean their deaths. He
made a note to call Andrei and ask for his help. He might not give
them shelter, but he might be able to offer some advice.

He sighed. He was getting ahead of himself. For all he knew,

Valentin might not want anything to do with him. It was a possibility
that he had to consider. But first things first. He needed to get his
mate back on his feet.

* * * *

Oh shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! I can’t believe it happened again. I

fainted like a last-century bride at the first sight of a dick. Maybe I
should start carrying around a bottle of salts. It can’t possibly be
more embarrassing than it already is.

Valentin sat on the edge of a bed, having the mother of all

headaches, in what he assumed was a cheap motel room. All by
himself. Oh, there was a note written on the back of a receipt, “Gone
grocery shopping. BRB. Don’t go anywhere”, but he didn’t believe a
single word out of it.

Gone shopping? Who leaves a sleeping vampire in a hotel room

and goes shopping? Sleeping! Who am I kidding? Out cold was more
like it.

Steps sounded outside the door. His heart jumped. Too light to

belong to a mere mortal and too heavy to be a vampire’s. That left
only Shawn.

The key slipped into the lock and Valentin groaned inwardly. Too

soon. He reckoned he’d be ready to face Shawn again in a century or
two.

“Well, hello there, sleeping beauty.” Valentin sank lower into the

mattress, burrowing his face into his hands.

“Oh God, take me now.”

Perfect Timing

“Please, put a dam on that contagious optimism. One could only

handle so much.”

Valentin lifted his head to glare at the shifter just in time to see

him flopping on the nearest chair, holding a giant paper bag filled
with take-out food. The man was hot. There wasn’t any other word
for it. And his scent was intoxicating. It filled the room, seeping into
every crack and pore. Hell, his mouth watered, and it wasn’t the food.

“Glad to see you are looking better.” The words were nonchalant,

but the vampire picked up a slight edge to them. And he could have
sworn he saw a flicker of concern passing through Shawn’s eyes.
Could this be? Does he care? At least a little bit?

“Yes, I am, thank you.”
“Good. I would hate for all my effort to have been in vain. You

know, you are a lot heavier than you look. Mind if I eat?” Without
waiting for permission, the therian unwrapped a burger and dug in the
bag for fries. “I poured some of my blood into you, and you seemed
to keep it down. I don’t suppose you would want to shed some light
for me into what is really going on with you, do you?” He sounded
hopeful.

I guess I owe him that much. But what does he want from me? I

have nothing to give him. Unless he’s been sent after me. But why did
he fight Theodore and his men over me? Only to gain my trust? Oh
God, I can’t think straight. Will the pain ever stop? Oh God, make it
stop. Valentin caught his head between his hands again, hoping that
the pressure exerted would lessen the throbbing pain in his temples.

“Hey, you okay?”
A warm hand landed on his shoulder, the touch gentle and

soothing. He fought the instinct to lean into the warmth, to seek
comfort and maybe some relief, and jerked his shoulder away.

“I’m fine.” The words were harsh and for a second he regretted

them. Why was Shawn torturing him like this? There was nothing
special about him, nothing to make someone to spare him a second
glance. That had to be the only reason he was here. He didn’t need

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anyone’s pity. Especially not Shawn’s. Blood boiled in his veins as
his anger rose. Power simmered across his skin and the air around him
crackled.

He stood up, too fast for his throbbing headache, but stayed his

ground. On his part, Shawn didn’t even flinch.

“You want to know what happened? You want all the sordid

details? Are you sure you can handle them?” With every sentence he
stepped closer to the shifter, stopping only when they were toe to toe.
“Why don’t I show you?” He hissed the last words, and grabbed
Shawn’s head between his palms.

* * * *

Shawn held his breath the entire time Valentin spoke, afraid to

interrupt his little spitfire of a mate. Somehow he knew he might
never get another chance at unraveling one of the many layers the
vampire had wrapped around him. And for someone who twenty-four
hours ago would have had a panic attack just at the mention of the
word mate, he sure was falling fast. He wondered briefly how he
would know when he’d hit bottom or what would it feel like, but he
decided that it wasn’t a concern for the time being.

He watched the vampire’s advance toward him, his gaze glued to

Valentin’s. Blood boiled as his cock hardened at the way the dark
eyes in front of him turned black. His senses tingled at the whirl of
power the vampire was conjuring around himself. Cold palms clasped
his head, pain stabbing his skull. His own hands sprung upward to pry
the offending fingers away from his skin and ended up holding on for
dear life as he was swept away in memories of pain and blood.

The cheap motel room dimmed, disappearing in a haze, its shape

shifting, rearranging itself into new patterns, as the dirty beige of the
walls changed into clean, light colors and the dull ceiling melted into
intricate patterns. He didn’t know much about carpeting, but the gold-
leaf woodwork was so perfect it could only have been handmade by

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the best artist in the world. He wanted to touch it, to run his fingers
over the delicate pattern, but he had no say over his body.

A hand reached out to rest against the wall, and Shawn knew it

belonged to him, but the shape of it was wrong. Slender, with long,
elegant fingers and flawless skin. It was all golden and smooth and so
different from his own. Fingers trailed along the wall, the paper cold
under the touch.

What is going on? He could hear himself think, but the little voice

in his head sounded somehow hollow. As the words in his head faded,
the colors around him sharpened, textures clearer than ever. Scents
assaulted his senses, so familiar and yet so foreign, like he was
absorbing them through a different filter. The house smelled like
leather-bound tomes, polished wood, wine, canvas, oils, and melted
candle wax. So that’s how history smells. There was magic, power,
the kind that surrounded only vampires and wizards. And above
everything else, there was the scent of the living, and sweet, warm
blood flowing through young bodies. Funny how he never noticed
that.

His nose lifted, sniffing the air, and his fangs descended, as

hunger rose deep inside him, thirst and arousal all mixed into one. He
steered toward the source of the sweetest scent in the world and
realized he was seeing things through Valentin’s eyes. He wondered
briefly what was it the vampire wanted to show him. Whatever it was,
he had a hunch he wasn’t going to like it. But as it was, all he could
do was sit back and enjoy the ride.

His lover carried him through a wide, bright hallway, passing

huge rooms decorated in stylish, heavy furniture, paintings gracing
each wall and rugs so thick the foot could disappear entirely in them.
It was like walking through a museum, but one still very much
inhabited. The house seemed alive, a breathing organism with dozens
of different heartbeats and ethereal imprints of both mortals and
immortals. For those who knew how to read them, they told stories
old and new, of life and death. He sank further in Valentin’s

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conscience, a sudden urgency pushing him to know more.

The scents changed, fear laced the thick arousal in the air, and the

grunts and muffled cries of release became strangled pleas for mercy.
For a moment, as the vampire picked up the pace and steered toward
the source of the ruckus, Shawn felt himself a spectator at a bad
horror movie, screaming pointlessly at the screen, trying to get the
protagonist to change his mind.

The vampire stilled, sniffing the air. His vision became even

sharper, more focused. Here we go.

His lover went into full stealth mode, his movements causing no

stir in the air. They passed from room to room to a large, elegant
stairway. Shawn caught a glimpse in a mirror in the hallway and was
amazed at the vampire’s looks. The image was nothing like the
Valentin he knew. The man in the mirror was lithe and graceful,
pitch-black eyes sharp and curious, the skin molten-gold instead of
out-of-this-world skinny and sickly pale. Only the hair remained the
same, blond and unruly.

At the base of the staircase, Valentin paused, listening intently.

Muffled voices came from one of the rooms above, but the words
were foreign, guttural. The vampire hesitated. The voices upstairs
increased in intensity and sounds of a fight reached his ears. A loud
crash sounded, and Valentin bolted up the stairs.

Okay, what was he missing? Shouldn’t he be running in the other

direction?

The vampire moved at an incredible speed, and somehow he

managed to do it quietly and gracefully. He flew up the stairs,
bypassed the first floor and took on the second one in a blur. Valentin
paused for a moment in front of the last door on the right with his
palm pressed hard against the wood. Shawn couldn’t read his mind,
but he was perfectly attuned with the vampire’s mood. His lover was
worried.

Now would be a good time to leave. Come on. Turn around. No,

no, no!

Perfect Timing

Valentin pushed the door open and stopped dead in his tracks.

There was no one in there, though Shawn could have sworn he’d
heard voices just moments before, but the room was trashed. Clothes
were everywhere, most of them torn to shreds, personal objects
scattered around and pieces of furniture damaged beyond repair. The
crash they had heard earlier had probably been caused by the armoire
falling over.

The vampire sniffed the air again. It was Valentin’s space, no

doubt about it. His scent was everywhere. There were traces of others,
too. Some of them just passing through, but some stayed longer. The
pang of jealousy stabbing Shawn’s stomach was not welcome, and he
pushed it aside, focusing on what his lover was showing him.

Two vampires had passed recently through the room, most likely

the ones who trashed the place. He imprinted their scent in his brain
for future reference, though the way Valentin perceived and processed
scents was slightly different from him.

The vampire advanced in the room and picked up the broken

armoire, setting it back on its feet. The thing might have weighed a
ton, and yet the move was smooth and fluid. Valentin ran his fingers
over the intricate pattern, sorrow and rage mixed in his soul.
Sentimental value, no doubt, though, it could have been expensive,
too.

Hot, searing pain shot through Valentin, doubling him over. The

room disappeared in a red haze, leaving Valentin confused. A new
wave of pain shot through him, more powerful than before, and it
took longer to overcome it. Steady breathing could only help so much.

The vampire whirled on his heels and bolted through the door, a

sense of impending doom choking him, everything else forgotten.
Wish I knew what was going on.

Valentin tore through the hallway again at blinding speed, flew

down the stairs again, and headed to the basement. If the first floor
was peaceful, the ground floor was a whole different story. He
stopped for a moment on the last step, shooting a glance at the

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library’s opened doors, sniffing the air intently. The only things
Shawn could see were rows and rows of heavy-looking books, but the
air carried the nauseating stench of fresh death. Not a place he wanted
to visit any time soon, and he prayed his lover shared his opinion.

Valentin shrugged and bounded in the other direction. A few more

twists and turns had Shawn staring at a barren wall at the end of a
narrow corridor, and he couldn’t help a snort. Wrong turn, huh? Oh,
wait! Will there be any genetically mutated, man-flesh-eating humans
on the other side? Oh, crap! He felt like he was in a theater watching
a horror movie and the only thing missing was the fear-inducing
soundtrack.

The vampire had pushed some hidden lever and the stone block

had slid silently backward, revealing a narrow staircase. Oh, goodie.
The bad-movie analogy just keeps going.

Completely oblivious to the irony of the entire situation, Valentin

started his ascent at a slower pace, his senses fully alert. Shawn’s
neck tingled in warning. Oh, not good. Go back! This is a really bad
idea. Please, go back!

No such luck, of course. They reached the top of the stairs, the

shifter’s guts screaming warnings at him. He didn’t want to see what
came next. He wanted out. The animal inside him recoiled, trying to
break loose of Valentin’s hold, claws scratching at the fingers
trapping Shawn’s forehead. The link faltered for a moment, then the
vampire increased the pressure, and the connection between them
steadily grew stronger until it reached a painful level, feeling like
Valentin was trying to punish him. Dull pain, hurt, doubt, denial, fear
for his life, uncertainty, and a tiny spark of hope all slammed into
Shawn, more powerful than before.

Memories filled his mind, again taking him back to the top of the

narrow staircase, in front of another wooden door, the exact same
place he’d tried to escape. The vampire reached out and turned the
knob. The door opened slowly, and the only thing missing was the
creepy soundtrack of every horror movie in history.

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Scents assaulted him, more blood and violence and the presence

of the same two immortals whose scents he’d picked out in Valentin’s
quarters earlier. The vampire rushed in. For crying out loud. I’ll have
to sit him down and explain how dangerous barging in a room
without checking whether it is safe can be. Shawn got an unobstructed
view of the room. It was both better and worse than what Shawn was
expecting. Better, because the furniture was still intact. Worse,
because of the blood. It was everywhere, in a huge amount, covering
most of the floor and walls. He thought he saw some splashes on the
ceiling, but the vampire’s one and only glance around the room was
too brief for him to be sure.

Wow, can all this blood come from just one body? Now that he

was there with no hope of getting away, Shawn wanted to explore, to
find out as much as possible. He knew the answers to all his questions
lay in that room somewhere, but he could only follow the vampire’s
lead. This whole looking-through-his-eyes thing is a pain in the ass.

Valentin glanced around briefly and fell to his knees next to the

body. Oh hell, I’m screwed. My mate has absolutely no sense of self-
preservation. Damn it, baby, check the area first! Baby? Great! Just
great!

The corpse was fresh, though few of his wounds still seeping. The

vampire let out a pitiful whimper as he turned the body over. It
belonged to a fast-aging, forty-some, unremarkable man. Weren’t
bloodsuckers supposed to be handsome? Or to at least have some sex
appeal? Perhaps he looked like that because he was dead. Shawn
shrugged and decided he’d find out the details later from Valentin.
Though, judging by the sobs and the hurt rolling off his lover, it might
not be such an easy task.

As he could do nothing else, he turned his attention back to the

corpse. It looked like he had been mauled by a rabid bear. The clothes
were shredded and there were nasty looking cuts over the torso and
arms, and the throat was one massive wound. Also, the smell coming
off him was wrong. There were few chemical compounds, some

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botanicals, none of which Shawn could identify.

Valentin ran his hands above the corpse in front of him, almost

touching it, and magic crackled. The power flared and died down as
the caster’s anxiety level increased. His sobs grew louder and his
hands trembled. He brought his left wrist to his lips and bit down
hard, blood running from the corners of his mouth. He placed the
wound over the worst gash, his lips mumbling prayers in all the
languages known to man, but the tear refused to heal.

His own wound sealing up, he bit again harder and brought it to

the corpse’s lips. The blood trickled over the corner of the mouth and
Valentin grabbed the jaw in front of him and pried it open. Huge
fangs poked obscenely from the upper jaw. Liquid pooled inside the
cavity but, whether some drops of it reached the stomach or not, it
was too late to start the healing process. Desperate, the vampire bent
over and licked the few drops of blood still seeping from the carotid.
The shifter’s scream Nooo! fell on deaf ears, and Valentin doubled
over in pain. Hot, blinding pain. A wave of nausea washed over him
and he retched heavily. The pain got worse, temples throbbed,
muscles clenched. The vampire choked, fighting for a breath he didn’t
really need.

* * * *

The next picture was different. The room was the same, but the

colors were dimmer and the scents odd. The corpse on the floor had
dried up and the splashed blood had worked its way inside the
hardwood floor, leaving blackened circles behind as testimony.

Valentin stiffened, listening intently. Panic settled in his guts and

he glanced frantically around for another way out. He rushed to the
window, tore the blinds away and threw open the window. In the
space of a breath, he was climbing over the sill and jumping blind into
the darkness beneath.

Oh shit! He is not going to make it. Fuck! Shawn’s concern was a

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bit redundant, as he knew for a fact that the vampire was going pull
through, but he couldn’t help himself.

Everything became a blur, like the vampire was rushing through

his memories, fast-forwarding to the present. A bad landing, a broken
ankle and probably few cracked bones, running, confusion, fear, pain,
landscape flashing by, stealing cars, nausea, more running,
disorientation, terror, hunting, retching, and above everything it was
pain as a constant companion. He saw himself through Valentin’s
eyes, sitting in the bar, felt the arousal the vampire had experienced,
the confusion, the flare of hope and the black despair that followed.
His face appeared again in front of his eyes, and the longing rolling
through the vampire’s veins at the image broke Shawn’s heart.

The images flashed faster and faster, too quick for the shifter to

make anything out of them, and the emotions accompanying them
were but a whirl. It was like the vampire was afraid he showed too
much and had started to pull away. This time, it was Shawn holding
on to him, pulling his lover closer, keeping the connection open. This
time, he wanted all.

Valentin struggled to get away and the shifter increased the

pressure his palms were exerting over the vampire’s fingers. The
shifter didn’t need the physical connection to feel the other man’s
turmoil. He reeked of it, so Shawn let him go.

* * * *

Valentin stumbled back, falling on the bed, his pupils normal once

more. Magic simmered on his skin before it settled down to a normal
level. Shawn held out his hands in front of him in a nonthreatening
manner.

“Easy there. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I’m not afraid of you.” Shawn sniffed the air. The vampire hid a

smile. “I’m not lying to you, either.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed. It would be pointless anyway.” Valentin

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quirked an eyebrow at Shawn, too tired for anything else. “Oh, come
on, you have to know lies have their own specific scent.”

“No, actually I don’t.”
The shifter frowned. Is he for real?
“You’re kidding me, right? How can you not know what emotions

smell like, vampire?”

Valentin rose to his feet gingerly, winced like he was in pain, and

stepped into Shawn’s personal space. “I have no need to know what
human emotions smell like. Us vampires have no use for them,
kitten!”

Though it was meant as an insult, it came out more like an

endearment. The shifter purred in acknowledgement at the term,
knowing it would only piss the vampire off more. “Oh, honey, I’m
sure you’re right. Your kind is so high-and-mighty that all those
emotions pouring off you earlier were probably just a figment of my
imagination. There’s no way you could actually feel anything.”

“Mind telling me why you are pissed?”
Shawn let out a deep sigh. “I don’t know.” Maybe because I like

you. A lot. And you could easily tear my heart out and rip it to pieces
with only a few words.

“You are quick to draw conclusions.”
“Was I wrong in my assumptions?”
“Uhm, no.”
“I didn’t know vampires can blush.”
“I. Don’t. Blush.”
“Of course not. Except for that lovely shade of red in your cheeks.

Most becoming.”

“Bite me!”
“I thought that was your specialty.” Valentin sputtered. Shawn

grinned widely, unrepentant. “Anyway. How did you do it? Project
your memories into my mind?”

Valentin turned around and started pacing.
“I’m not sure if this is what I did. I wanted you to see what I’ve

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seen, but somehow it got out of hand. I was pissed and wanted to take
it out on you. I shouldn’t have, and I apologize for that.” Valentin
ceased his pacing and glanced at him. “I felt you in my head, like you
were with me the whole time.”

“Did you also hear me screaming at you not to go inside that

room? Or not to drink that blood?”

The vampire’s shoulders shook with repressed laughter. “No, I

didn’t hear that part.”

“And you wouldn’t have listened anyway.”
“No, I wouldn’t have. Besides, I couldn’t have. Everything

already happened. You cannot change the past.”

“You can’t travel in time either.”
“Looks like you can. I know there are some elders who can bend

time, but this is like nothing I’ve ever heard before.” He looked
pensive.

“Bend time?”
“Yes. They can change the space-time continuum.”
“Huh?” This time it was Shawn’s turn to look confused.
Valentin threw him a look saying you serious? but he did offer the

expected explanation. “They can be in different places at the same
time. Or to be more exact, they can jump through time. But it’s a rare
skill, and I can imagine it takes a great deal of power and control.
None of which I posses.”

Shawn snorted. “Sorry to break this to you, but you do.” The

vampire opened his mouth to protest, but the shifter raised his hand to
stop him. “Yes, you do. Oh, I don’t know about the control thing, but
power you have. I can smell it on you, and I felt it on my skin. You
are powerful. Trust me on that.”

Valentin shook his head. “Be that as it may, you don’t understand

the kind of power needed for time traveling. I am nowhere near that
level. Only the most powerful or the eldest of my kind can do it. If I
think about it, I’ve only heard about two vampires able to do it. Never
met them though. And even if I’d meet them I couldn’t ask them if

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it’s true.”

“Why not?”
“You don’t ask someone what kind of talents he has.” The

vampire rolled his eyes at Shawn’s silent question. “It’s not polite.”

“And politeness is relevant here because…?”
“Because when said someone could take your head off with just a

flick of their hand, you go out of your way to show them respect.
Especially when you are nothing but a fledgling in comparison.”

“When you put it like that…”
Valentin stopped his pacing long enough to throw a challenging

look at Shawn. “I was under the impression that your world is ruled
by traditions just as much as mine is.”

Shawn shrugged. “It is. But there are ways around them.”
A sad smile curved the vampire’s lips. “You had to be an alpha.”
“Had to? I can hardly call myself an alpha without a pack. And

besides, I’m no dog, I’m a cat. A pride has a prime, not an alpha.”

“That wasn’t exactly a denial. Are you?”
The million dollar question. He was domineering, strong,

stubborn, born in a long line of leaders, and yet he chose a different
path. The vampire must have felt his dilemma and threw him a
lifeline.

“Does having a pack, or a pride in your case, make you an alpha?

And the lack of it, less? Are you in any way different? Less
domineering? Less dangerous?”

“No.” Shawn wasn’t sure for himself which question he was

answering, though the answer felt right.

Valentin probed deeper. “No, what?”
“Why don’t you ask me that again at another time? Perhaps I’ll

have a better answer.”

The vampire nodded his agreement as the shifter went back to the

food bag and dug out a can of Pepsi.

“You said only the elders can travel through time. How old should

one be to master this…art form?”

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“Millennia.”
Shawn gaped in shock, the drink in his hand forgotten.

“Millennia? As in thousands of years?”

“I guess so.”
“And how old are you, again?” Shawn took a long gulp of the

Pepsi he was holding.

“I’m nothing but a fledgling.”
Shawn snorted, and the lukewarm liquid burst from his nose.

“Shit. That hurts.” He fished out a napkin from the bag and used it to
wipe his face. “Do you take me for a fool?”

“What? No!”
“You said you are three hundred years old. That hardly makes you

a newborn.”

“I said I was a little over three hundred. But I am very young for

my world.”

He dared take another sip and forced himself to get back on topic.

“Speaking of years of experience. I would have thought that self-
preservation 101 would be on top of the list of a how-to-be-a-vampire
class.”

“What are you talking about?”
“Barging headfirst into a room where a man had just been

murdered should be a big no-no.”

The vampire frowned in confusion. “It was safe.”
“Oh, really? And how did you know that? There was blood

everywhere, and your kind isn’t exactly big on disclosing their
presence by mistake.”

“I don’t need—didn’t need—sounds to know if I’m alone in a

room or not.” This had to be good.

“Ohhh, do tell. Does this involve the same procedure where you

have no use for emotions?”

“Immortals have certain signatures. Each species is different.”
“If it is that simple, how did you not know the coven was under

attack?” That stopped Valentin short. “The two vampires that

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ransacked your place and killed that older guy. Did you know them?”

Valentin shook his head, any trace of smugness gone from his

face. “No, I didn’t. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I have no
idea whom they belong to or how and when they got inside the
house.”

“Let’s not forget the why.”
“Oh, no, I know why.” He was back at pacing the room, his brows

furrowed in concentration.

“Mind sharing that bit of information with the rest of the class?”
“A stone. An extremely rare golden ruby. Flawless. It glows red in

the moonlight and pure gold in the sunlight.”

“Okay, rare, perfect, and I’m assuming expensive. But is it worth

killing for?”

“It’s rare and perfect, so, yeah, it’s expensive. Though I doubt it’s

worth killing over. Especially not an elder.”

“The older guy in the tower?”
“Yes.”

* * * *

How much could he trust Shawn? He saved his life, true, but the

guy could have ulterior motives. He could very well be after the stone
as well. Though it was part of the vampire lore, who said it wouldn’t
work for other kinds of the supernatural population? Okay, shifters
probably didn’t need it, unless the ruby had properties Valentin
wasn’t aware of, but there were others who would kill to have it.
Zombies, ghouls, wraiths, and only God knew how many types of
demons wanted it. Not to mention witches, sorcerers, and
necromancers. Was Shawn working for any of them? He didn’t smell
like it, and he didn’t give off any strange vibes, but then again
Valentin’s senses had become a tad unreliable. Or a lot, if he were to
be honest with himself. What else could he possibly want from him?
Before everything, he might have considered the cat being into him,

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but now he was just halfway to the grave.

“He was my sire.”
Shawn’s spine stiffened at the vampire’s words and dark clouds

gathered in his eyes. The vampire held his breath, waiting for his
lover to ask about the nature of Valentin’s relationship with Yuri, but
the shifter chose not to. Finally, Shawn’s posture relaxed and his gaze
cleared.

“I wonder how old an elder is?” Shawn didn’t seem to expect an

answer, so Valentin offered none. “I thought elders were hard to kill.
And those vampires had gone to great lengths to do it. Could it be all
over a stone? No offense, but no matter how big or perfect it might
be, a rock is just a rock.”

“Well…not exactly.” How could he be sure? Insecurities aside, he

needed to trust someone. And he wanted so badly for that someone to
be Shawn. He went over to the window, wishing he could pull it open
and breathe fresh air in. “Sometimes a rock is just a rock, and
sometimes it’s more than that. It is said that this particular one,
L’Immortel grants immortality and shields against prying eyes. It
offers a power boost, helps with mastering new levels of spells or
anything else its owner needs. It is said to be very powerful. But as far
as I know, it’s nothing but a rumor. A part of the vampire’s lore.”

“Why would a vampire seek immortality? You are already

immortal.”

“No, we aren’t. We have indeed a longer life span, but we are by

no means immortals. We can still be killed, as you could see for
yourself not long ago.”

Words were so difficult sometimes. How do you explain your

world to an outsider? Valentin took a deep breath to compose himself,
but Shawn seemed to misinterpret his silence.

“Oh, come on, man, prying a tooth would be less painful than

trying to find out something from you. You could use that mojo you
have going and see for yourself I mean you no harm. Let me help
you.”

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“Why? People don’t go out of their way to help others. I’m a

vampire, you’re a therian. Why would you help me?” Valentin shoved
himself in Shawn’s face, fists clenched, bitterness leaking out of his
voice.

“Because you are my mate.”
That took him by surprise. He’d expected anything else but that.
“Come again?”
“I believe I made myself perfectly clear the first time, but just to

make sure. You. Are. My. Mate.”

“Are you sure?” Valentin couldn’t keep his disbelief out of his

voice. And damn if there wasn’t a spark of hope in there, too.

“Positive.”
“How can I be your mate? Do you know how unlikely this is? I’m

a male. You are not even gay.”

“Why are you shouting?”
“I’m not shouting.” Okay, he was, but who could blame him?

“You are not gay.”

“No, I’m not, or so I thought until I met you. And I have no idea

how is it possible. But mates are chosen by Fate, and there has to be a
reason.”

“How…how long have you known?” His mind was reeling.
“Not that long. To my shame, it took me quite some time to figure

it out. I couldn’t explain my possessiveness toward you, but now it
makes sense.”

“How can you be so casual about this?”
“I’m not.”
The vampire opened his mouth to voice more questions, hell, he

had tons, but Shawn cut him off. He caressed Valentin’s cheek with
his knuckles and the vampire shivered under the touch. The kiss was
tender, just a brush of lips, and it left the vampire breathless. Shawn
pulled back and stared him in the eye. When he spoke, his voice was
soft.

“You don’t know me. You have no reason to trust me. But for

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some reason, Fate chose you for me. I don’t know how and if it would
work. I’ve never been with a man. Hell, I’ve never had a serious
relationship before. But I want to try. Will you give me a chance?”

Valentin’s heart skipped a beat at the therian’s words. He

swallowed, trying to clear his throat, his mouth drier than the Saharan
desert. He tried speaking, but when no sounds came out, he settled for
nodding.

Shawn kissed him again, just as soft, taking his time. Valentin

clutched the therian’s shoulders, taking in the taste and unique scent
of his lover. Their tongues brushed against each other in slow, sensual
movements. The shifter flushed their bodies together, deepening the
kiss. Shawn threaded his fingers through Valentin’s hair, tilting back
his head, exposing his throat. His lips found the soft spot under the
vampire’s ear and nipped the tender flesh.

“So responsive.” Whispered words, hot breath against his skin.

Valentin whimpered. Oh God, just how pathetic can I be? And yet he
couldn’t stop himself. It felt so good. He was so hard the zipper had to
be forever imprinted on his cock.

“One more thing.” Shawn was even closer, raining kisses over the

vampire’s right cheek. Valentin trembled again and pressed his hands
against his lover’s chest to keep his balance. “May I have you?”

The man was no doubt trying to kill him. “Yessss. Now! You can

have me now.”

Shawn curled his forefinger under Valentin’s chin, lifting his face

toward his, and brought their mouths together once more. The kiss
was slow, a gentle brushing of lips, soft and warm. There was no
rushing, no pressure. The sweetest kiss ever. The vampire clenched
one fist in the cat’s tee shirt and wrapped the other hand around his
neck, pulling him closer. He whimpered again, oh yeah, how manly of
me, and clutched the shifter closer. His senses went into overload, the
taste of the man, his scent, the hard ridge pressed against his own, the
blood pounding so close to the skin, everything heightening his need,
his hunger for the man, for this man.

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Valentin moaned, a low, needy sound, and the shifter answered

with one of his own. He tried to get closer to Shawn, wanting the
contact more than anything. He could feel the man’s need, and it just
made him crave more.

“Oh, God.”
Clothes melted from their bodies, hands roaming freely over

heated skin, lips and tongues following in their wake. Valentin gave
up any semblance of control and surrendered himself to Shawn’s
ministrations.

* * * *

Shawn felt like a kid at Christmas. Every inch of porcelain skin he

was exposing increased the joy of discovery, each caress of his
fingers over hot flesh sent jolts of excitements throughout his body.

He lifted Valentin off his feet and carried him to the bed, placing

him gently on top of the comforter. The vampire was warm and pliant
and fit perfectly underneath him.

Shawn was aroused beyond his wildest dreams, cock throbbing

painfully, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to hurry. He licked his
way down that lean chest, pausing to nip the nipples, feeling them
hardening under his tongue. He teased the buds until he had the
vampire squirming.

He slid lower down his mate’s body and sneaked his tongue inside

the belly button, drawing out a giggle from Valentin. The therian
licked lower until he reached the band of the vampire’s jeans and
stopped, unsure of what his next move should be. The vampire
threaded his fingers through Shawn’s hair, whimpering.

Shawn grinned devilishly and snapped the button open. The

mouthwatering aroma of Valentin’s arousal filled the air, and all the
doubts the shifter had flew out the window. He lowered the zipper,
careful not to hurt his lover, and pushed the cloth away, eyes glued to
the cock in front of him. Pants suddenly in his way, he tugged at

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them, almost tearing the fabric in the process, and threw them across
the room.

Shawn’s hand wrapped around Valentin’s length and his tongue

peeked out to tentatively touch the head. The skin was hot and
smooth, and he wanted more. He circled it with the tip of his tongue,
just under it, drawing a whimper out of the exquisite man. He licked
the head, gently probing the slit, and the vampire’s hips almost shot
off the bed.

“So responsive.”

* * * *

Whispered words, hot breath against even hotter skin. Valentin

whimpered. He was hard enough to pound nails.

“Oh, God, oh God, oh God.”
Valentin let out a strangled cry as a hot mouth enveloped his dick.

There was no technique, but the enthusiasm more than made up for it.
Shawn started a bobbing motion, his hand following the same pattern.
The vampire clenched his hands in the comforter, his spine arched,
head thrown back, breath coming out in pants.

“Oh God. Stop.” His hand shot up and tugged at Shawn’s hair. His

lover doubled his efforts.

Fuck! So good. With whatever was left of his control, he fought to

keep his hips still. “Stop. Baby, stop please.” He tugged again at the
shifter’s hair.

Shawn lifted his head, his face flushed and eyes glazed with lust.
“What?” And damn if he didn’t sound pissed. “Am I doing

something wrong?”

Valentin shook his head. “On the contrary. You are doing it just

right. But wouldn’t you rather fuck me?”

Heat rose to Shawn’s cheeks. “You…Would you…I mean…” He

was all flustered.

The vampire grinned. “Why, now, kitten, are you trying to ask if

100

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I’d let you top?”

“Uhmm…yes?”
Valentin reached out and caressed the man’s brow, looking him

straight in his eyes. “I do love a thick cock up my ass.”

“You do?” He sounded so surprised, the vampire burst out

laughing.

“Yes. I do.” He wiggled his hips under Shawn, making the man

groan. “What are you waiting for?”

“You are killing me.” The shifter scrambled to his feet and

shucked his pants. He stumbled over his own feet as the jeans caught
in his boots, his cock jutting in the process. Valentin’s chuckle died in
his throat as his eyes zeroed in on the erection the man was sporting.
The prick was thick, long, straight, and so hard it was forming a
perfect ninety-degree angle with the body. And what a body it was.
All hard ridges and straight angles and smooth skin.

“You think it’s funny?” Shawn tried for a fierce scowl, but failed

miserably. He bounced back on the bed, landing almost on top of the
vampire. He wrapped a hand around Valentin’s cock, making the man
jerk in response. He tightened the grip and gave a couple of up-and-
down motions.

“Do you still think it’s funny?”
All Valentin could do was shake his head, his speaking ability

long gone. The vampire bent his knees to allow him better access.
Shawn settled himself between Valentin’s legs and claimed his mouth
in a scorching kiss.

The vampire sneaked one leg behind his lover’s back and pushed

his hips upward, rubbing their erections together. Shawn moaned and
rested his forehead against Valentin’s, eyes shut, jaw clenched, breath
coming out in pants.

“You are trying to kill me.” But he couldn’t stop himself from

grinding their cocks together again.

The vampire lifted his knees and spread his legs wider. “Come on.

Fuck me.”

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101

“God, yes!” Shawn drew back a few inches and settled his cock

against Valentin’s tight entrance. He pushed forward, and the vampire
jerked hard.

“Stop. It doesn’t work like this.” The therian’s brows furrowed,

confusion written all over his face. “You have to get me ready. And
wet.”

“I don’t have anything.”
“Spit would do.”
“Okay, how do we do this?”
Valentin smiled seductively, inserting three of his fingers in his

mouth. He laved them, getting them nice and wet, never breaking eye
contact, and inserted one of them in his hole. Shawn groaned,
watching his every move.

The vampire stretched himself, inserting another finger with the

first one, going in deeper, brushing his prostate on every stroke. Small
whimpers rolled off his tongue as he rode his own fingers. Though he
wasn’t ready yet, he added another finger, crisscrossing them, the
sudden pain curbing the lust threatening to push him over. He was so
close.

* * * *

Seeing his mate stretching himself out, fingering his own ass, the

sweetest sounds coming from him, eyes closed, a look of complete
rapture on his face, was the most erotic sight ever. Shawn watched
hungrily, those digits moving back and forth in that tight hole, the
vampire’s other hand pulling on his own cock, back arched, lean hips
lifted from the bed. He wanted that body and wanted it now.

“Oh God, please tell me you’re ready.”
Valentin looked at him through half-lidded eyes and pulled his

fingers free with a small pop. “Oh yes, I’m ready.”

Shawn leaned to steal a quick kiss and braced himself on one arm

on top of his mate. He guided his prick to the stretched entrance and

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pushed the head past the first ring of muscle. His breath hitched in his
throat.

“You’re so tight.” His entire body shook with the effort to go

slow. He pushed in another inch, the head passing the second ring,
and Valentin’s body clamped hard around him.

“Oh, God, you are killing me.” His voice was hoarse, words

strangled. He stared down at his lover’s face, basking in the pure
ecstasy he found there. Valentin’s hips shot upwards, impaling
himself on Shawn’s cock. The therian clenched his teeth against the
exquisite sensation, all warmth and smoothness.

“I’m not gonna last.” The vampire writhed under him and the grip

around his prick loosened.

* * * *

Valentin felt wonderfully full, stretched to his limits. He wanted

more, he needed more, his orgasm just around the corner. He sneaked
a hand between their bodies and squeezed the base of his cock to
stave it off.

“Move. Fuck me hard.”
Shawn took him at his word and snapped his hips back and forth,

creating the most exquisite friction. The vampire thrashed under him,
eyes closed, and his body tightened around the therian’s cock.

“Oh God, yes. Harder.”
The therian drew out completely, ignoring Valentin’s muffled

protest, and placed the vampire’s legs over his shoulders, surging
back in one fluid motion.

“Harder. Harder. Harder.” Valentin chanted.
The headboard banged against the wall and the bedsprings

squeaked loudly. Shawn clenched his teeth, praying to last long
enough to send his lover over before him. A warm hand caressed his
back, nails raked over his skin, and his rhythm broke. He grunted and
bit his lip, fighting for control. Valentin writhed under him and Shawn

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103

snapped. He let out a strangled cry and rammed his lover harder.

* * * *

“Yes. Yes. Yes. Oh God, please.” Valentin was just as close,

release just beyond his reach. He needed, he didn’t know exactly
what, but he needed. Reading his mind, Shawn pulled away, still
keeping their bodies connected, and bared his throat for him. The gift,
coming from a strong alpha, no matter how much the shifter might
deny his being one, was even more precious.

Valentin stared at the powerful column stretched out for him, eyes

glued to the point where the pulse rippled the skin above.

“Drink.” The shifter nudged him forward, his voice husky.
Suddenly he was hungry, hungrier than he remembered ever

being. His fangs dropped, the sweet scent of Shawn’s blood filling his
nostrils. He pressed soft kisses over the length in front of him before
he closed his lips over the flesh pulsing with life. He sucked on the
skin, drawing the blood closer to the surface. He flicked his tongue
over the skin to numb the spot. Exerting a control he didn’t know he
had, he let his fangs slowly pierce the hot skin under his mouth.
Shawn shuddered in his arms and pushed harder into him. Blood
flooded Valentin’s mouth, rich and oh-so-sweet.

The vampire drank his fill in slow, deep pulls, letting the liquid

fill him, warming him from inside out. His hungry body soaked it up
like a sponge, and the pleasure was so intense it bordered on pure
bliss. His cock throbbed and leaked and he pulled the shifter flush
against him, increasing the contact between them.

Valentin sucked harder, and the added pull pushed the shifter over

the edge. Shawn drove forward, stiffened, and came, cock throbbing
deep inside the vampire. The air filled with the smell of his release,
the blood flowing in Valentin’s mouth became all the sweeter, and it
was all it took to push him over, liquid heat spilling over his stomach.
He sucked again, long, strong pulls, just to prolong his lover’s

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orgasms. Only when the last tremors faded and Shawn’s body relaxed
on top of his did the vampire pull his fangs free and lick the puncture
closed.

Shawn’s cock slipped free from Valentin’s body, but he remained

where he was, his hand idly stroking the vampire’s hair.

What am I supposed to do now? For the first time in centuries, he

was at a loss. The touch, the mental connection, the hot weight
pressing him into the mattress, they all felt good. Better than that. So
why was he afraid to open up to Shawn?

“We should wash up.”
“Feeling better?”
Is he shitting me? “Yes, thank you.” Okay, that was snappish, but

damn, the man wanted thanks for the sex? “You proved your point.
Now get off me.”

“What?” Shawn looked incredulously at him. “This is what you

think it was?” He rose to his feet, started pacing the room.

Oh shit! “Sorry.” He meant it. He did a mental check over his

body. Stomach full, no signs of nausea, no dizziness and no headache.
Go figure. “Yes, I am. My headache is gone.”

“Good to hear. Since when do vampires have headaches,

anyway?”

“Since they’re stupid enough to drink bad blood from a body.”
“Oh, good, I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that was a

mistake.”

“I knew it was a mistake. Drinking rotten blood can be deadly for

us. Especially when it’s poisoned.”

“Why did you do it then?”
“I hoped to see who killed him.”
“And?”
“Nothing.”
“How could it be nothing? That guy didn’t rip himself to pieces.”
“Exactly.”
“How much of that blood did you have?”

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“Few drops, a mouthful tops, but it was more than enough to kill

me. I knew it was bad, but after the first taste it was so hard to stop,
there was so much power in it. To tell you the truth, I shouldn’t be
alive. Not after that amount. Hell, a couple of drops should have been
enough to kill anyone.”

“How did you survive?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”

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Chapter 4

They were on the road again, Valentin behind the wheel. He had

no destination in mind and was more than happy to heed Shawn’s
instruction. For some reason the shifter had told him to head down to
Bucharest and stick to the main road, and then he settled back in his
seat and proceeded to fall asleep in a matter of seconds. That had been
hours ago. Which gave the vampire too much thinking time
altogether. He was still shaken up about what happened earlier. It had
felt so right. The level of closeness between them, even before the
feeding, was new for him. Not for the first time since he’d met the
man, he wished he knew what was in Shawn’s mind. Not that his own
thoughts were any clearer, but it would have been nice to know where
he stood. If only they would have met in different times, before his
life had gone to hell. But the present was all he had, and he didn’t see
much of a future.

The vampire glanced at the man sleeping next to him. A jaguar.

Who would have thought? Valentine chuckled silently and risked
another glance. Shawn looked so peaceful, so…relaxed, like he had
no care in the world.

A pang of regret stabbed Valentin, regret that he’d dragged the

shifter into his world, a place where he couldn’t provide any kind of
shelter. Throwing Shawn to wolves would have been a kinder death.
Maybe parting ways, no matter how painful the mere thought was,
would give the therian a fighting chance. That way, the men following
Valentin might forget about the cat. Maybe.

Shawn sighed in his sleep, and the vampire’s eyes wandered back

to him. What is it about you that has me so hooked up? He reached

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107

out and tucked one straying strand of hair behind the therian’s ear.
The man felt the caress and stirred in his sleep.

“Shhh. It’s okay.” Shawn mumbled something in response to his

whispered words and slouched lower in his seat.

Why am I doing this to myself? When have I turned into such a

glutton for pain? He’ll get bored with me and leave. I’m no catch.
And most importantly, I’m a man, let’s not forget that. He’s probably
just experimenting. A fling. And when he has satisfied whatever
curiosity he might have, he’ll go. His stomach rebelled at the thought.
Sure, Shawn had said they were mates, but it was said in the heat of
passion, and every sane person knew better than to trust that.

I will enjoy it while I can. It’s not like I am in love with him. But

he was afraid he was. A wave of nausea rose in his throat at the
terrifying perspective. He shoved his fist against the wheel with a low
thump, cursing out loud.

“What’s wrong?” Shawn was suddenly fully alert, his eyes,

though still heavy with sleep, wide and worried.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I was just thinking.”
Shawn’s eyes darted pointedly to the steering wheel and one of his

brows quirked quizzically.

“You often use your fists when thinking?”
“It’s been known to happen.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
He didn’t. Talking meant he’d have to face his feelings, and that

wasn’t something he often indulged in. Or cared to. Not one for
retrospection, his usual cure for ennui was fucking, fucking and then
more fucking. His sire’s favorite pet, he’d been spoiled rotten from
the get-go, and while he knew the attention wasn’t due to any
personal merit but his good looks, he found it much too easy to flow
with it, so this unusual turn of events was proving to be particularly
hard on him. “I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”

“Into what?
“Into this mess. I cannot protect you.”

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“Aahh. So that’s what it’s about. You didn’t drag me into

anything. And I definitely don’t need protection. I can take care of
myself.”

“How can you be so calm about this? I have no idea who is after

me, though I presume they are vampires as they hired some, and the
one that got away, Matheus, has seen you.”

“Okay. I’ve seen him, too. So?”
“He won’t stop hunting you.”
“Yeah, I figured as much.”
Unbelievable. Unbe-fucking-lievable. “You are either crazy, or an

adrenaline junkie.”

“Neither. And I am concerned. Why did you think I asked you to

drive us to Bucharest? Sightseeing?”

Valentin shrugged. “I figured you wanted to try and blend in. It is

a big city, after all.”

“Would it help?” He sounded merely curious, like their lives

weren’t at stake.

“No, not really.”
“Just what I thought. As I could follow your scent everywhere, I

reckon they could, too.”

“What do you have in mind then?”
“I have some friends there. They might be able to help.”
“How could they? And do you want to bring this over them?”
“No, I don’t. But I’m not sure what we’re up against, and this

gives me the willies. Until I figure things out and know you’re safe,
I’ll take any help I can get.”

“Why would you care what happens to me? I’m but a bloodsucker

and not your concern.”

“Haven’t we been through this before? You are my mate.”
“You keep saying that.”
“I was hoping it would get through to you eventually.”
“Can you, please, be serious?”
“I am.”

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“There is no such thing as mating between vampires and shifters.”
“And why is that?”
“I don’t know, there just isn’t.”
“You can’t possibly believe that. I am sure that it’s not the first

mating of this kind. Or the bond between mates is not something your
people recognize?”

“We do, but it’s just so rare.”
“The same with my kind. Mating between wolf kin is more

frequent. Felines, most of them, don’t mate for life.”

“If they are just as sparse as you say, how can you be sure?”

Jealousy ate at his belly. “Or have you been mated before?”

“No, I haven’t. But when you meet your mate, you know.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Do I have a sign over

my head saying mate?”

“Of course not. It’s how I feel about you. When I first saw you in

the bar, I should have wanted to kill you, but my first thought was
shit, if Alec sees him, he’s dead. I was attracted to you, when I’ve
never gone for men.” Shawn grinned widely at the vampire. “Does
this answer your question?”

“Just one thing.”
“Shoot.”
“Who’s Alec?”
“He is, was my prime. Why now, baby, are you jealous?”
“What? Of course not.” Okay, that was a blatant lie. Shawn’s

nostrils flared and he grinned wickedly, but he didn’t call him on it.

“What happened with him?”
“Nothing.”
“Why the past tense then?”
“Because he is no longer my prime.”
“Aha. I understand.” No, he didn’t. “Why not?”
“Because he is a good man and a fair leader and I didn’t want to

challenge him for the position just to please my stepfather.” Bitterness
poured from every word and his lips pursed in distaste.

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“I’m sorry.”
“Why? It’s not your fault my stepfather is a bastard.” Shawn

shrugged, dismissing the topic as no big deal, but his body posture
said otherwise.

* * * *

“Why would Fate choose me as your mate?” Valentin mused out

loud after a while.

“I don’t understand it myself.” Shawn regarded him pensively.

“What is this really about?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” he was quick to answer. Too

quick maybe, because his lover pursed his lips and tssked
incredulously at him.

“Don’t you? We both know it has nothing to do with your

inability to smell much or with your being sick. So what is it?”

God, was he so easy to read? Valentin glanced over at Shawn to

find those striking, gray eyes watching him patiently and decided to
put his cards on the table.

“I don’t understand why Fate chose me for you. There is nothing

special about me.” The words were laced with a poorly concealed
anxiety. Could his lover know how much this admission cost him?

“How are mates chosen? On what grounds? Physical? Moral? I

don’t have the answers. I’m not sure it matters either. But I know this.
There’s never been a case when the mates weren’t the best match for
each other. Not that I’ve heard of.”

“But why me? Don’t get me wrong. You’re hot and sexy and I’d

be lying if I said I’m not attracted to you.”

“Are you, now?” Shawn drawled out. Valentin rolled his eyes in

exasperation.

“You know I am, you can smell my arousal. Apparently you can

smell everything.” The shifter snorted a laugh, but didn’t deny it. “But
my point is, you could do much better.”

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Shawn sighed and turned to look idly through the window.
“Listen. I’ll be honest here. I can’t say I’m thrilled to have a

vampire for mate. You are not what I was looking for in a mate.”
Valentin gasped and blinked away the tears in his eyes. How could a
few simple words hurt so badly? This wasn’t anything he didn’t know
or hadn’t thought about himself, but to hear it said out loud so
callously was beyond harsh. He opened his mouth to argue, to
somehow defend himself, to lash out, to say something, anything, but
Shawn raised a hand to silence his protest.

“No, let me finish. Two days ago I didn’t even want a mate.

Especially not a man. And then you showed up and turned my world
around. One whiff of your scent, one look in your eyes, and I was
done. I tried to leave. I even convinced myself that I could walk away
from you. But I wasn’t fooling anyone. Even if you’d have managed
to disappear on me, I would have tracked you down. I’m good at that,
you know? I have no idea why you were chosen for me, and I don’t
care. You are mine and I intend to keep you.”

“Don’t I have a say in this?”
“Of course you do. If you don’t want me”—he swallowed

audibly, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down—”just say the word
and I’m out of your hair.”

Perhaps Valentin was lousy at smelling lies, but he was a good

judge of character, and he knew the therian was telling him the truth.
He shook his head. Nope, he didn’t want that. Just the thought of it
made him hyperventilate. His life in the coven had been led by rules
meant to assure peace and security, but Shawn was an unknown
variable.

“No. I don’t want that.”
Tension drained from Shawn’s body and he regarded Valentin

with a serious look in his eyes.

“I would very much like a shot with you. I’m not saying I’ll be the

best boyfriend in the world, as I’ve never been in the position, but I
can promise I’ll try.”

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Valentin couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Hell, he couldn’t

even think. Words, feelings, hidden dreams, deepest fantasies, all
swirled in his head at blinding speed, and he couldn’t catch any long
enough to analyze it. Shawn took his silence for it what was and his
smile, though a little sad, said as much.

“I don’t want an answer. Not right now. Let’s get through this

alive and we’ll see where we stand then.”

Relief coursed through the vampire. Relief and a spark of hope.
“I would like that very much.”
Shawn reached over and threaded his fingers through the

vampire’s on the gearshift. Valentin squeezed them gently in
response.

They rode in compassionate silence for a while, fingers entwined.
“Who is this friend of yours? You’re sure you can trust him?”
“His name is Andrei Enache. I met him at college. I haven’t seen

him in few years. My stepfather’s doing.”

“College? How old are you anyway?”
“I’m twenty-seven.”
“You look younger. But that’s not exactly answering my

question.”

“Which question would that be?”
“Can you trust him?”
Shawn sighed and looked out the window pensively. “I don’t

know. A while ago I would have said yes, no doubt about it. Now, I
don’t know. But I have to trust someone, and he is the only one who
springs to mind.”

“Does he know about shifters and vampires?”
The therian stared at him, mouth agape. “He is a shifter.”
“What? You’re taking me into therian territory? Why don’t you

kill me now and be done with it?”

“Hey, what is wrong with you?”
“Do I have to spell it out for you? Fine. I’m a vampire. Vampires

and shifters don’t mix.”

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“Hello! News flash! I am a shifter, or have you forgotten that?

And I have yet to harm you.”

“You have a point.” The vampire worried at his lower lip. “Do

you think he could help us?”

“I hope so.”
“Okay. Let’s go talk with your friend and see what will happen

next.”

Time passed, silence between them broken only by Valentin’s

occasional cussing at the poor quality of the roads.

“Are you sure you know where we are going?”
“Yes. I have everything under control.”
Wisely, the therian chose not to contradict him, going instead for a

noncommittal hmm. Valentin shot him a dirty look, eyes glowing in
the light of the board instruments.

The late-afternoon light had faded away, night reigning fully over

the land, and the vampire found himself forced to decrease the speed
even more. Valentin let the therian’s fingers go from his hold and
concentrated on his driving. The road soon turned to an unpaved,
muddy path marred with deep tire ditches, which even the big SUV
had trouble approaching. Shawn slid his right hand under the door
handle and held on tight, but refrained from further comments.

The car fishtailed, and the back tires caught in the mud. Valentin

gripped the wheel and pressed the gas pedal down another notch. The
tires glided, and dirty water sprayed all over the place. He swore and
tried again. More mud sprayed and then the wheels caught solid
ground.

A few turns later the path disappeared into nothing under the

trees. The therian’s lip’s corners quirked, but he held his mouth shut.
The vampire broke out in a new string of cusses.

“Did you know you are bilingual when you are ticked?”
“What? I am not.”
“Sure you are. I caught some Russian there, among the English

litany.”

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“That’s because I am Russian. You should be happy I

remembered my English.” He slammed his fist against the wheel, the
material bending under the shock. “We could try to turn back.”

“I’m not sure the car can take it.”
“Why are you not pissed?”
“Would it help? I could give it a try if you like.” That had

Valentin cracking up. He put the car in reverse and released the
clutch. The ditch under the tires protested, and the vampire punched
the gas more. The back wheels skidded and the car fishtailed.

“What’s the point of having an SUV if it’s not four-by-four?”
“It is four-by-four. I have no idea what kind of engines you are

used to, but there aren’t many with high cylinder capacity around
these parts.”

“You kidding me? With these roads? At this altitude?”
“Yeah, well. Have you seen the size of the villages around here?

What’s the point of having a more powerful machine when the roads
are mostly closed during winter due to heavy snow? Sometimes in the
spring, too, due to flooding.”

Astonishing. How do people live here? “Flooding? As in heavy

rain?”

“No. As in the sky breaking loose and rivers spilling over,

carrying with them trees, boulders, and everything in between.”

“That explains the condition of the roads. Or what passes as roads

around here.”

Valentin stepped on the gas again, harder, and the car skidded—

fast—fishtailing again, coming to a stop, radiator first, on top of the
nearest tree. The hood wrinkled and steam simmered from under it.
Good thing they were wearing their seat belts, or the jolt would have
sent them both through the windshield.

The vampire gawked at the mess, jaw hanging open. Shawn bit his

tongue, hard, to stop himself from swearing out loud.

“How the hell did that happen?”
“It has come to my understanding that in a confrontation, the tree

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always wins. And roads here aren’t helping either.”

“You call this a road? Trench is more like it.”
“Hey, don’t give me grief, it’s not my fault.”

* * * *

Shawn climbed down from the car and circled to check out the

damage. Damn it!

“This baby ain’t going anywhere.”
Valentin joined him, hesitant to touch him, though he longed to.

“I’m sorry. I never meant to ruin your car.” The therian glanced up at
him. He sounded so repentant, shifting uncomfortably from one foot
to the other, unsure of the reaction he was going to get from Shawn.

“It’s just metal. It can be replaced. Eventually.” He winked at the

vampire to put his mind at ease. “I’m sure we can find other means of
transportation as soon as we get back to the main road.” He grinned
widely, pausing for better effect before continuing. “Worst-case
scenario, you can hot-wire another car.”

Valentin flinched, but recovered quickly. “Yeah. A faster one.”
“See? I knew you would see my point of view. Though with your

driving skills, a faster car would only get us so far.” Leaving the
vampire no time to respond, Shawn glanced around, sniffing the air.
“We should get a move on. Let’s get our things and head back. We
could try to hitch a ride.”

“Yeah, we better. What do we do with your car?”
Shawn pursed his lips, thinking. It was, after all, his baby, and he

was rather fond of it, but he didn’t want to upset his lover any more
than he already was.

“We can leave it here and report it stolen in a day or two.

Hopefully I’ll get it back in one piece.” He brushed his shoulder
against his lover’s in a playful manner. “Let’s go.”

The tension left Valentin’s body and he followed the shifter to the

trunk. Shawn picked up his duffel, signaled him to retrieve his jacket

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from the back seat, and started back on the dirt road.

“Do you know these woods?” Valentin ran to catch up with him.
“No. I’ve never been here.”
The vampire’s nostrils flared, a puzzled look on his face. “I can’t

smell anything. Can you tell if this land belongs to any packs or
prides?”

Shawn sniffed the air again, more careful this time. “I can’t sense

anything, but it doesn’t mean this land hasn’t been claimed. We
should be careful.” The vampire nodded his agreement and glanced
around him wild-eyed, as if expecting a hoard of wild boars to come
barreling from under the trees.

“You really can’t smell anything?” Shawn blurted out, smacking

an imaginary slap against his forehead. Nice. Really smooth.

“I can smell. But I can’t decode the scents. I could be near a pizza

parlor and smell horse shit.”

“Has it anything to do with that bad blood you had?”
“Yes.” Shawn considered dropping the matter for a second, but

dismissed the thought just as quickly. He wanted to peel every layer
of the vampire’s mind, to reach the very core of his being, but so far
their interactions brought painfully little information to work with.

“Did the blood you drank have any other effects on you, or just

that?”

“I would say that my almost dying because of it was the main

problem,” Valentin snapped at him.

“You know what I mean.”
“I can’t smell worth a shit, and my ability to sense other

immortals or supernatural creatures in the area is completely off.”

“That explains a lot.”
“My hearing is fine though. And my eyesight. So that’s a plus.”
“So it is. That’s not bad at all. You got out pretty well,

considering.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Shawn saw Valentin shake his head,

sighing. There was a moment of silence as he deliberated and, when

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he reached a conclusion, his voice was tense.

“Not exactly. I can’t eat anything, can’t hold it down. I’m sick

half the time. I’m nauseated and in so much pain most of the time I
have blackouts, as you’ve already witnessed. I have no idea who is
after me, and the worst of it is I’ve dragged you into all this. Not to
mention totaling your car. Happy now? Is this what you wanted to
know?”

“Yes, much better, thank you. Wait. Eat?”
Valentin rolled his eyes, exasperated. “You know what I mean.”
The therian nodded, and a mischievous grin lit up his face.
“I have to warn you, I plan on learning everything there is to

know about you.”

He whirled around, catching Valentin off guard, and slammed his

mouth against his, taking his lips in a scorching kiss. The vampire
tensed for a second and then relaxed into his arms. Tongues dueled
and teeth nipped at hungry lips. Breathless, the shifter pulled back,
blood pounding in his ears. He rested his forehead against Valentin’s,
taking in the scent of his mate.

“We should go.”
They followed the path down, all too aware of each other’s

presence. Shawn reached out and took the vampire’s hand, threading
his fingers through his.

“Do you feel sick now?”
“What?” Valentin regarded him with a dazed expression, the scent

of his arousal heavy in the air, and Shawn answered him in a soft,
warm tone.

“You said you feel sick half the time. Are you okay now?”
“Yes, I am.” His eyes widened, his face a mask of surprise.
“Will you tell me if you’re not feeling well?”
The vampire half-closed his eyes at the whispered request and

breathed out a yes.

“Good. Are you hungry?”
The gorgeous black eyes widened again. “No, I’m not. I’m still

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full from earlier. How can it be?” It sounded like a rhetorical
question, so the therian didn’t try answering him. He didn’t know
what to say. His mind was reeling, trying to find answers for
questions he didn’t yet know, to find solutions to problems from a
world he wasn’t familiar with.

The way back to the main road took hours through thick forest. In

some places, the mud was so thick it passed their ankles, and the
humidity in the air clung to them, dampening their clothes. At times,
they crossed paths with wild animals’ tracks, brown bears, wolves,
some foxes, and every time that happened, the vampire tensed and
sniffed the air, his eyes darting everywhere at once. Each time, Shawn
squeezed his fingers, offering what comfort he could, not mentioning
that he was on full alert for any dangers that might threaten his mate.

They reached the main road and Valentin used his mojo to get

them a ride with a middle-aged guy driving an old, battered Dacia.
The vampire shook his head at the sight of the car, and Shawn
smirked, mouthing an I bet you miss my low-capacity ride. With just a
small nudge from Valentin, the man agreed to take them to the nearest
town, a small, dirty place, just a step above a mere village.

They asked him to leave them in front of a hotel, or at least point

them in the right direction, but there was none. Not even a flea-bitten
motel. So they settled on spending the remainder of the night in the
forest on the outskirts of the town. The ground was damp and they
had to walk a great deal to find a suitable place—nothing fancy, just a
dry place at the foot of an old oak. They lay under it, and Shawn
pulled Valentin close, resting his head on his shoulder, holding him
tight. The position was uncomfortable and the ground rough and cold,
but they dared not set up a fire, fearing unwanted company.

They managed only a few hours of rest and, much sooner than the

vampire would have liked, Shawn shook him awake, saying he was
starving and needed to hunt, as the chances of finding fast food in
town were slim.

Valentin stood with his back against the oak trunk, half-numb and

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cold to the bone, watching Shawn stretching. The therian took off his
jacket and handed it over.

“Hold this for me. Or even better, put it on, over yours, to keep

you warm until I get back. It smells like snow.” The vampire took it
without a word and draped it over himself, fingers stiff from the
night’s chill.

“I’ll try not to be long.” Shawn grabbed the hem of his tee shirt

with both hands and pulled it over his head, exposing hard abs and a
perfectly sculpted chest. Valentin followed the trail of exposed skin,
mouth suddenly dry, and involuntary licked his lips.

“What are you doing?”
“Taking off my clothes.”
“Yes, I can see that. But why?”
“I can’t shift with my clothes on. Okay, I can, but I would rather

not. I only have so many clothes.” The tee shirt landed at the
vampire’s feet.

“You’re shifting? May I watch?”
“I was hoping you would.” He threw him a devilish grin and

dropped his hands to his fly. Valentin swallowed around the lump in
his throat.

The button snapped open and the zipper followed. Pants were

dropped to the ankles, deliberately slow, Shawn adding a playful
wiggle to his moves. He toed off his boots and slid the jeans over his
feet. He threw them at Valentin, his boxers following in their wake.
The vampire caught every article of clothing and folded them neatly.

“You needn’t worry with that. Besides, there’s another show

coming on next.”

Valentin put down everything, eyes glued to Shawn’s. “You have

my undivided attention.”

“I will do this slowly. Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
“Good. Wouldn’t want you to be. Sit tight. I won’t be long.”
Valentin wetted his lips expectantly. Eyes never leaving his,

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Shawn let the jaguar come out. It’d been so close to the surface, it
only took moments. His pupils changed from round to slits, the nose
turned to snout, teeth became deadly fangs, and fur covered his skin.

He used all his control to make the transformation slow, Valentin

drinking in every detail, no matter how insignificant. Shawn’s body
shook with tension to keep it slow as the bones rearranged themselves
to the new shape.

* * * *

Valentin gaped, jaw hanging open, at the three-hundred-pound

feline standing in the place where Shawn stood only one minute ago.
The black jaguar stretched out its front legs, back arched, claws
completely unsheathed. Muscles rippled under the shiny coat of black
fur.

“Wow. You’re gorgeous. I didn’t have the chance to really look at

you the other day.” He got to his knees and extended his hand to pet
the gorgeous animal as the cat purred in contentment, eyes flashing
metallic in the darkness before dawn. Valentin dragged his fingers
through the whiskers, marveling at their smoothness. The feline
rubbed his head against his palm, purring like a well-tuned diesel
engine.

“Aren’t we a good kitten? Aren’t we sweet?” He cooed at the cat

as he would have done with a baby, while his hand kept stroking it
idly behind its ears.

* * * *

Shawn was floating on air. His mate wasn’t afraid of the beast in

him. On the contrary, he seemed genuinely happy to pet him. He
purred louder and rubbed himself against Valentin, almost climbing in
his lap. The vampire wrapped his arm over his shoulders and pulled
him close. Their scents mingled and it suited Shawn perfectly. That

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was how his lover was supposed to smell. Like both of them
combined.

The jaguar licked Valentin’s face, making the man burst into peals

of laughter. The vampire seemed so happy, so carefree, Shawn vowed
to himself to bring this look onto his face as often as possible.

Hunger gnawed at his insides, reminding him he hadn’t had

anything to eat in over twelve hours. Hesitant, he pulled away from
his mate and, with a last look over his shoulder, he bounded under the
trees.

* * * *

Valentin watched him go, longing to join him and wondering if

he’d be welcomed. He clutched the therian’s tee shirt against his
chest, sinking his face into the fabric, breathing in the lingering scent
of his lover. He strained his hearing to follow the cat’s moves and
closed his eyes, envisioning the picture Shawn would make hunting.
Crouched on all fours, completely focused on the prey. Tight muscles
would uncoil and he’d spring, gracefully and deadly. Hell if the image
didn’t give him a hard-on.

The jaguar returned half an hour later smelling of fresh blood and

licking his muzzle. Valentin’s breath caught in his throat at the sight
of Shawn. The feline sauntered over to him in deliberately slow,
stalking motions, eyes gleaming. It pounced, landing atop him, claws
not even grazing the vampire’s skin. The soft fur receded, replaced by
equally smooth skin, and the fresh scent of wood assaulted Valentin.
Hot lips caught his, the kiss tender and sweet. Shawn tasted like blood
and adrenaline, totally irresistible.

One kiss turned to three. Shawn pulled away, panting. Valentin

was rock hard and his hips snapped forward, rubbing himself against
his lover.

“This is not the place to do this. Someone could wander here at

any time.”

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“I know.” The vampire panted, eyes glazed over. He pushed

Shawn away, catching him off guard, and rolled on top of him. “I will
be quick.”

* * * *

Shawn gasped. “What are you doing?”
“There I was, horny as hell, waiting for your return.” His voice

was a low seductive purr, and the shifter watched him in fascination.

“And there you were, looking good enough to eat. So I said to

myself, why, not go for it, Vladik

?”

“Vladik?” Shawn barely managed through suddenly dry lips.
The vampire scooted down his body, and in one swift motion had

his cock down his throat. The therian cried out at the exquisite
sensation, his hips jerking, driving his dick deeper as dug his fingers
in the vampire’s hair. Valentin worked his throat muscles around the
head, pulling away just to take that fat cock back in. Shawn writhed
and thrashed, moaning and whimpering, hips jerking with each
suction motion the vampire’s mouth exerted against his prick.

Valentin hungered for Shawn. He wanted to taste him so bad he

could barely see straight. He pulled his head up again and licked
around the head, teased the slit, lapping at the oozing pre-cum. The
shifter moaned and his hips jerked, humping air, back arched.

“Please. Oh God, please.”
“Shh, I’ve got you.” The vampire plunged again, all the way down

until his nose was buried in the curls at the base of Shawn’s prick. He
swallowed around the head and felt the cock swell even further, the
underside vein throbbing hard against his tongue. He swallowed again
and hummed. Shawn erupted deep down his throat. Valentin
swallowed the first wave and pulled back enough so he could taste the
next one. He had expected it to be pungent, sharp even, but it was
sweet, just a tad bitter.

He held the cock in his mouth and swallowed every drop, licking

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it clean until it became too much for Shawn to bear and he wiggled to
break free. One hunger sated, the vampire became painfully aware of
the way his dick throbbed behind his fly. He unzipped his pants and
gripped his length in a tight grip, squeezing his eyes shut. Another
hand joined his, the touch probing and uncertain. His eyes snapped
open, his startled gaze meeting Shawn’s clear one.

“Let me.”
Valentin could only nod.
Warm fingers pushed his hand away and started stroking. The grip

was looser than Valentin liked, but the swirl over the head on each
upstroke more than made up for it. Breath, though not needed, came
out in pants, and his eyes rolled in the back of his head.

Shawn must have felt how close he was and increased the speed.

His other hand cupped Valentin’s balls and rolled them between his
fingers and that did the trick. With a low cry the vampire spilled all
over Shawn’s hands, entire body convulsing.

* * * *

“I didn’t have the chance to ask. How did the hunting go?”
“Can’t you tell?” Valentin missed the teasing in Shawn’s voice

and bristled.

“Again with that? What do I have to do for you to drop it?”
“Hey! I was kidding. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Heat rose to the vampire’s cheeks. “Sorry. I’m a bit touchy. And

yes, I could tell you were lucky, but I didn’t know what you caught.
And I was trying to make conversation.” The last words were
mumbled, like he was ashamed of his admission.

“Aww, that is so cute.”
“Cute? Men aren’t cute.”
“I don’t know about other men, but you sure are cute.” Valentin

tried for a menacing scowl, but ruined it with a giggle. Shawn bit the
inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing.

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“Rabbit.”
“Come again?”
“I’d love to. I can go another round. Or five.” His sweet mate

gaped at him like he just grew horns, so he decided to take pity on
him. “I caught rabbits. Two of them. Not very large, but beggars can’t
be choosers.”

“I guess.” Though he didn’t sound too convinced. “What’s the

next move?”

“We should see if there is a train heading to Bucharest. If not, we

can hitchhike or something.”

“How far are we anyway?”
“About four hundred kilometers. We are in the northeast part of

Romania, close to Bicaz, in case you wanted a more precise location.”

“How does an Irishman know these parts so well? It’s a long way

from the land of bards and leprechauns.”

“How did you know I’m Irish?”
“With a name like Shawn? I may not be from around here but

even I know that’s not a common name. Besides, there’s a slight
drawl in your voice that made me think of Ireland.”

Shawn let out a deep sigh. “You’re right. After my father died, my

mom was sent here to marry Alec’s second-in-command. That has
been ten years ago.”

“I’m sorry about your father.”
“It was a long time ago.”
“That doesn’t make it less painful. Especially when your

stepfather is a bastard.” They were heading down the mountain and
the wet grass was making the trip difficult, so Valentin more guessed
than he saw Shawn’s shudder. “Did she love him?”

“Love has nothing to do with it. It was pure politics.”
No matter how hard he tried, Shawn couldn’t keep the hurt and

resentment he still felt out of his voice, and Valentin desperately
searched for a new topic. “So, you speak the language and all?”

“Yeah. With an Irish accent, but I do speak it. I went to school

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here. In Bucharest.”

“What did you study?”
“I was a modern literature major.”
“Modern literature. Wow. Not something I would have guessed.”
Shawn growled before he could stop himself. “What is wrong

with literature?”

“Nothing. It’s just that it doesn’t go with your image.”
“My image?”
“Yes. Big bad wolf.”
“Again with the dog analogy?”
Valentin rolled his eyes. “Fine. Big, bad, kick-every-one’s-ass

jaguar. Here. Better now?”

“Much better. Thank you.” Shawn threw him a one-thousand-watt

smile over his shoulder.

They reached the first line of houses and Shawn was delegated to

go ask for direction to the train station and, if possible, to find out
when the first train to Bucharest was leaving. As it turned out, there
were only two trains leaving that station, and none went directly to the
capital. After all, it was only a secondary stop. They had to take a
train from the Borsec station and then change it with the one heading
in the right direction. And the journey through the mountains was
bound to take hours.

Shawn sniffed the air, concern furrowing his brows.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s gonna snow sooner than I would have expected. We should

get some warmer clothes for you to wear.”

“Snow? So soon? It’s October.”
“At this altitude, snow in September is not unusual. Sometimes,

we get some bad blizzards around this time.”

Valentin gasped, looked around eyes wide, and snuggled close to

Shawn. The therian placed his hand around the vampire’s shoulders
oh-so-casually, like he had been doing it all his life.

“It’s not going to snow right this minute. And you’re supposed to

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be Russian. What’s with the frightful look?”

“I’m not frightened. I just…I just don’t like the cold. And what

does my being Russian have to do with anything?” His voice shook a
little and his hands clutched Shawn’s arm hard enough to leave
bruises. The funny part was that he wasn’t aware he was doing it.

“Yes, I can see that.” At Valentin’s slightly confused expression,

the shifter glanced pointedly at the hand holding him in a deathly grip.
“I do need my circulation.”

“Oh, sorry.”
He gently pried his arm away and turned his lover around so they

were facing each other. “Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s silly.” He lowered his eyes, focusing on Shawn’s tee shirt.

The therian curled his index under the man’s chin and lifted it up.
“You can tell me. I promise I won’t laugh. Or at least I will try not
to.” That had Valentin smile just like he intended.

“I never liked winter. The cold, the snow, the wind, everything.

The worst of all is the wind. How it cries through the trees, like
wolves howling at the moon, that high-pitched moan outside the
windows. How it sneaks under your clothes, no matter how thick they
might be, and freezes you to the bone. And there is nowhere to hide
from it. Not to mention blizzards. Don’t get me started on the
blizzards.” He shivered and snuggled closer, face hidden in Shawn’s
hair and hands settled against his back under his jacket. He breathed
deeply, the scent of both man and cat seeping into his every pore,
marking him.

Shawn held him fast, raining kisses in his hair, barely realizing

they were standing in the middle of the street, hugging. It was early
enough that it was only a handful of people out and about. He
reckoned there weren’t many guys kissing out in the open around
those parts, and human nature tended to react badly in front of the
unknown. However, the few stares and whispers their presence stirred
didn’t bother Shawn much, as they weren’t followed by any
threatening acts, like picking up stones or sharpening pitchforks. His

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mate needed comfort, and nothing in the world would have stopped
him from taking care of his lover.

“Don’t worry. We will be long gone before the storm hits, and

even if we’re not, this isn’t Siberia. It won’t be that bad. I tell you
what. We will get some sweaters and a couple of parkas, if there are
any in this God-forgotten place, and maybe we can find you a more
weather-friendly pair of boots. That way we’d be ready for anything
that comes.”

The shifter caressed Valentin’s soft cheek and lifted his head up,

staring into his eyes. “Is that all right with you?”

“I have no money left.”
“That’s okay. I do. What do you say?” His mate slowly nodded

his agreement.

* * * *

Finding a general store open that early in the morning proved to

be tricky. Somehow the vampire managed to locate the owner and had
him convinced that his fondest wish was to open the store for them.
Stepping through the front door, Shawn leaned forward and
whispered in the vampire’s ear, “Your mojo comes in handy at
times.”

Valentin flushed and hurried over to the racks of sweaters, picking

one at random.

“What about this one?”
“You’re kidding, right? Teal?”
“Oh, right.”
The store wasn’t big, nor did it have a large assortment of clothes

for them to pick from, but they did manage to find a couple of
sweaters for each of them, gloves, some soft wool socks, two parkas,
and two pairs of snow boots. Shawn added an extra sweater for
Valentin when his mate wasn’t looking and a ski hat with ear flaps.
They changed into the new clothes and stuffed the extra ones in the

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duffel.

They made it to the railway station with a little time to spare only

to find they were the only ones there. Shawn went to find a teller to
inquire about their train and buy their tickets.

“What’s going on?” Valentin asked anxiously when he returned.
“The train was delayed for at least one hour.”
“But it will be here?”
“That’s what she said.” He took the tickets out of his pocket and

presented them to his mate. “Here are our tickets. We have to get to
Piatra Neam

ţ, and from there take the train to Bucharest. It should be

a two-hour journey through the mountains. If what the teller said is
right, the view is spectacular.”

“I just want to get out of here. I don’t care how.” Valentin was

restless, his emotions all over the place. Shawn felt Valentin’s
restlessness and squeezed his shoulder, trying to soothe him.

“We will. Just hold tight.”
Valentin jerked his shoulder away and started pacing the

sidewalk. Shawn slouched on one of the cold benches, resigned to
watch his mate walk a trail in the concrete.

“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” The abrupt answer had both of Shawn’s brows

shooting to the sky. “I don’t know. Something is wrong.”

The therian jumped from his seat, all his senses going on full alert.
“I don’t feel anything.” Shawn sniffed the air suspiciously, as if he

didn’t trust his nose anymore.

“I can’t say exactly what it is, but something is definitely off.”
The shifter caught Valentin in midturn and pulled him in his arms

to keep him still.

“Mortal or immortal?”
“Neither.”
“What else is there?”
“Plenty. Depending on your definition of immortality. And

nothing you’d like to bump into in a dark back alley.”

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Shawn shivered. He didn’t know much about the supernatural

world, but he had no doubt that his lover did.

“Okay. What then? If you won’t talk with me, I can’t help.”
“I’m not sure. It’s just a feeling. Nothing more.”
“Okay. Let me rephrase. Is it magic?”
Valentin stiffened, listening intently for something, and his

nostrils flared. “Yes.”

“Okay. That’s a start. What kind of magic?”
“What? As in black or white?”
“No. I thought maybe you could tell if it’s vampire magic, wizard,

demon, or something different.”

Valentin closed his eyes in concentration, his body going

completely still for so long, the outside world could have taken him
for a statue.

“I’m not sure. There is something, but it’s not strong enough for

me to tell what it is. Or I am too inexperienced to identify it.”
Frustration laced the vampire’s words, and his face, lips pursed,
brows furrowed, was the perfect picture of annoyance.

“Okay. What about the strength of it? Is it getting stronger? Is it

stable? Weaker?”

“Not sure. I felt it just a few minutes ago, so it’s too soon for me

to tell. I’m sorry.”

“What for?”
“Not being able to tell you more. To do more.” Valentin was

shaking a little, his voice wary.

“We’ll have to work on your self-confidence. But in the

meantime, can you keep an eye on this mystical stuff? See when or if
something’s changing.”

“Sure, I can try.” He was all too happy to agree. Then his brows

furrowed even more. “Though I’m not sure that stepping into this
would be safe for you. Whatever this is.”

Shawn caught the bridge of his nose between his fingers and

sighed. He seemed to be doing it a lot when he was annoyed or

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exasperated with Valentin.

“And it’s safe for you? Let’s worry about that bridge when we

cross it. I don’t know about you, but I could use some coffee. And
some breakfast.”

“You just had breakfast. A double one.”
“I’m hungry again. Come on. I’ll get you a coffee.”
“I can’t drink coffee. My system can’t handle it.”
“Okay. Tea then.”

* * * *

Shawn’s voice sounded so casual, so unconcerned, and yet his

mind was reeling. He had no idea what to do in case the vampire was
right and magic was involved, but maybe Andrei did. He was an
alpha, he had to know this kind of stuff. Okay, that wasn’t a necessity.
After all, Shawn was born a leader, and yet he knew nothing about
weird vampire mojo. He’d heard rumors. Nothing more. Maybe
Andrei would have the connections. Maybe he could sneak away for
few minutes to place a call to Andrei and ask him. Besides, taking a
vampire into a pack’s territory without notice, when he himself was a
prime and also was coming unannounced, could turn ugly, to say the
least. Adding to these, there was the fact that they hadn’t spoke in
years, so he didn’t know if they were still friends or not. And the
whole issue where he was mated to the aforementioned vampire who
happened to be a male wasn’t making the matter easier. The mating
bond or not, same-sex unions were still frowned upon by some. God
only knew what Andrei’s opinion upon the matter was.

They shared cups of coffee and tea in the small diner inside the

station, with Valentin fidgeting in his seat the entire time. The
restaurant was small and gloomy, the food dreadful, and the coffee
lousy, but at least it was hot and filling.

Slowly but surely, the platform animated. They stepped outside to

wait for the train, Valentin shifting from one foot to the other, looking

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more uncomfortable by the minute. The therian tensed in response.
The temperature dropped fast, and Shawn checked the sky in concern.
The vampire tightened his parka around him, completely oblivious to
his dilemma.

The train finally pulled up. It was old, with long, spacious

compartments. Shawn found their seats and gently maneuvered his
mate into the window seat.

“You sure you don’t want the window seat?”
“Positive.” Courtesy had nothing to do with it. Shawn wanted the

aisle seat so he would be able to protect his mate from any potential
threats. Maybe Valentin’s mood was rubbing off on Shawn, because
the hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention.

The temperature dropped even more, and the window slowly but

surely glazed over. Thankfully the train’s heating system was
functional and the temperature inside was pleasantly warm, though
the feline in him would have enjoyed a few more degrees in the
thermometer.

Shawn’s neck prickled and he felt himself being watched. He bent

down to retie his shoelaces, sneaking a peak throughout the
compartment. No one was paying them any mind, much less staring at
them. Weird. Maybe he was imagining things.

“Hey, it’s snowing.”
Valentin’s exclamation drew Shawn from his musings, and he

glanced out the window. It was like they’d stepped through a curtain
of snow into another world. One minute the sky was a light gray and
the next big snowflakes were pouring down.

“I thought you said it wasn’t going to snow so soon.”
“Looks like I was wrong. Say, any energy shifts or anything

different?”

The vampire closed his eyes, concentrating. More than a minute

passed before he spoke again, his voice a little wary. “Something has
changed. It’s stronger, though not by much. And it tastes different.
More bitter.”

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“It tastes? Oh wait, I’m not sure I want to know.”
“Magic. Power. It has its own taste just like everything else in this

world. The purest of all feels fresh and warm. The blackest of all
tastes like, well, mud.”

“Can you locate its source?”
“No. The caster is too strong and they are hiding their presence

from me.”

“So, basically, the caster can be anywhere.”
“Yes.”
“Hmmm. What about the identity of the caster? Male or female?

Does it matter, by the way?”

“Not necessarily. Though most casters of that caliber are men,

there are also a few women. And from what I heard, it’s easier to face
an army of wizards than a single, powerful female caster.”

“Shit. Does this smell like a man’s or a woman’s work?”
“I would say a man, but I can’t be a hundred percent sure.”
A gush of wind shook the window, sneaking in through tiny

cracks and cutting them to the bone. The snow was falling heavily
now, and the trees running by the side of the railway were already
covered in white blankets.

“It’s coming down hard. I hope it won’t mess with the train’s

schedule.”

Shawn grunted in response, not wanting to scare his mate any

more than he already was.

The train slowed down, the ride becoming dangerous. The snow

thickened on the ground, over fifty centimeters, and eventually the
train came to a halt.

“We’re snowed in. Oh my God, we’re snowed in.” Valentin

panicked, words coming out in a high-pitched voice.

“I’m sure it will start moving again in a minute.”
The vampire whirled around, glaring.
“You can’t possibly believe that.”
Heat rose in Shawn’s cheeks and he shook his head, ashamed.

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“No, I don’t. But panicking won’t serve anything.”

* * * *

Emotion overwhelmed Valentin, blood drained from his head in a

rush, fear clutched his heart in a tight grip, and bile rose to his throat.
He caught his head between shaking hands, elbows resting on his
knees, and breathed deeply through clenched teeth, trying to bring
himself under control. A warm hand caressed his back, soothing.

“Breathe, baby. Breathe. That’s it. Slow and deep.” Shawn’s voice

was warm and soft and the vampire grabbed onto it like a drowning
man to a life raft. He focused on the sound and allowed his lover to
pull him out of the emotional waters. The hand on his back never
stopped its circling motion.

“Better?”
Valentin’s teeth finally unclenched and tension eased away from

his body. “A bit. Mostly nauseated.”

“Do you need blood?” Shawn whispered the words into his ear

after he shot a careful look around them. He shook his head, only to
be ignored as his lover shifted in the seat next to him, hiding him with
the broadness of his shoulders. Gray eyes flashed metallic and fangs
descended. The therian pushed his left sleeve out of the way and sank
his canines into his wrist. Blood gushed from the corners of his mouth
and the sweetest scent in the world filled the air. Valentin’s stomach
growled and the tip of his fangs peeked from under his parted lips.

Shawn waved his opened wrist under his nose and the vampire

couldn’t stop himself from grabbing it and bringing it to his mouth.
He breathed in deeply, his lover’s scent filling his head. Lips closed
around the torn flesh. The first drops that hit his tongue had him
floating on air. He drank his fill, in slow, deep pulls. He opened
himself up to Shawn, just a notch, and the therian’s emotions seeped
into him. Joy, wonder, protectiveness, arousal, and under everything
else, fear. Despite their multitude, they had a calming effect on the

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vampire.

Valentin pulled back and licked the wound close.
“What are you afraid of?”
“Huh?” Shawn pulled his sleeve back over his wrist and flicked

his gaze over the compartment again. The travelers, most of them past
a certain age, were all pressed against the windows, checking and
commenting the weather outside. In the short while it took the
vampire to feed, the snowfall had grown into a full-on blizzard, and
from what Shawn could hear from the people around them, weather
so bad hadn’t been seen in the area in over thirty years.

“What are you afraid of?”

* * * *

“What makes you think I’m afraid?”
“I felt you. You asked me why we don’t need to smell emotions to

read them. All it takes is a feeding. Or magic. Now answer my
question.”

Shawn sighed. He’d fooled himself in the beginning that he just

wanted to protect the skinny bloodsucker. That he felt somehow
responsible for the man in a twisted kind of way. That the attraction
between them was just that. But he knew better. This wouldn’t be a
fling, especially because he wasn’t into men. Just into this man. There
would be no parting ways when Valentin was out of trouble. He felt it
in his gut. And the gorgeous vampire in front of him deserved to
know it. Or at least most of it.

“I’m afraid of many things. Right now, of the unknown. Of not

being good enough. Strong enough. Of not being able to protect you,
me, both of us.” Valentin opened his mouth to protest, but Shawn
stopped him with a wave of his hand. “Let’s not start that argument
again. It usually ends up with us in the sack and, though I’d love
nothing more and I know I’ve said this before, this really is not the
place. You asked what I am afraid of and I answered. Let’s leave it at

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that.”

The vampire lifted his hands in a surrender gesture. “No chewing

at my head, kitten.”

“Duly noted.” Shawn took the opportunity offered by his mate to

change the subject. “Now, what can you tell me about this storm?”

“It’s a snow storm.”
“I know that. Tell me something I don’t know.”
“It’s magical.”
“Seeing as you told me you don’t like the winter, I would go for

magic-induced and not magical winter wonderland.”

“I do like winter. In pictures or on TV. And yes, it was cast.”
“You, babe, are the most confusing man ever.”
Valentin’s heart warmed at the endearment, though it could have

been just a fluke, a force of habit. God only knew he used one of
those when he didn’t remember the name of the guy he was fucking,
or he didn’t care to. The warmth turned to cold at the thought that he
could be just one more faceless fuck for Shawn. Damn it to hell! He
wanted more, hey, wouldn’t say no to an eternity with the man, but
right now he would have settled for a few days. Meaningful days.
Those memories could hold him for eternity. Or for whatever life he
had left. For some reason, his impending demise didn’t sound so
appealing anymore.

Shawn sniffed the air and raised a quizzical brow. Valentin

answered with his best poker face. The therian shook his head in
surrender.

“Do I want to know what you are thinking now?” His voice was

teasing, trying to lighten up the mood.

“I doubt it.”
“That’s what I thought.”
The blizzard grew stronger and the windows shook under its

pressure. The snow came down so thick it obstructed the view
outside.

“Wow, it looks bad. We are definitely snowed in.” For the first

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time, there was real concern in Shawn’s voice.

“In the twenty-first century? No way.” Sarcasm poured from

Valentin’s every pore.

“Apparently so.”
The shifter grabbed the curtains and drew them farther to the side.

The wind howled wildly and the sound reminded Valentin of the time
he’d encountered a pack of wolves, which, to this day, Valentin
insisted were rabid. An experience he didn’t want to repeat.

The vampire’s skin prickled. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
“We have to leave. Now.” He grabbed the collar of Shawn’s jacket

and began tugging at it. The shifter barely managed to catch the duffel
with the tips of his fingers and swung it over his shoulder.

“Hey, slow down. What is going on?”
“We have to get out of here.”
“You want to get out? Into that?”
Valentin was shaking. “Yes. Now. Now. Move!”
“What the hell is wrong with you? First you complain about the

blizzard and now you want to take a stroll into it?”

“Yes, I’m mental. You should have me committed. Now get a

move on!” He jerked Shawn hard. His lover lost his footing and
stumbled after Valentin on the aisle. He opened his mouth to protest,
but the panic-stricken expression on the vampire’s face stopped him.

They reached the back of compartment and Valentin yanked the

door open to the astounded looks of their traveling companions.

“Get out.”

* * * *

“I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
“You’d rather have me go first? No problem.”
“No. Wait.” But he was too late. The vampire had let Shawn’s

jacket go and had stepped in the air. “Oh man.” The vampire made a
perfect landing despite the fresh layer of snow covering the land and

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turned around with his hands on his hips, glaring at him.

“You coming?”
Shawn mumbled a curse under his breath, but stepped closer to

the door. “Yeah, I’m coming.”

“Ohh jeez, put a dam on that overwhelming enthusiasm.”
“I must be insane.” Or in love. Which is just as bad. “I should

have my head examined.”

Valentin grinned broadly at the muttered words. “I wish I could

vouch for your sanity, but I can’t. After all, you picked me.”

“Fate picked you for me.”
The vampire frowned, but he bit back his words. Shawn jumped

and landed gracefully at his mate’s feet.

“Okay, I’m here. Despite my better judgment. What now?”
The wind increased its force and Shawn had to yell to make

himself heard.

“Now we go.”
“Go? Go where?”
“Away.”
Shawn rubbed his forehead between his right hand’s thumb and

forefinger, trying to soothe the impending headache.

“Can you at least tell me what is going on?”
Valentin grabbed the therian’s wrist and start dragging him toward

the edge of the embankment. Shawn pulled his arm away and
threaded their fingers together instead.

“Something is coming. Fast.” The vampire shouted his words in

his lover’s ear, his lips brushing the skin, making the man shiver.

Shawn sprang to attention. “Can we elude them?”
“We could try. This way we can draw them out. There is no

reason for the people in the train to suffer as well.”

The shifter melted. His mate had a heart despite him being a

bloodsucker.

“Okay, let’s go. Hold on a minute.” Shawn took the gloves from

Valentin’s pockets and helped him into them. He took out a woolen

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scarf from his duffel, one of the purchases he’d sneaked past his
lover, and wrapped it around the vampire’s neck, under the parka. He
put his own on a lot less ceremoniously.

“There. All set.” He took the vampire’s hand again and squeezed

his fingers lightly.

“Very considerate. Thank you.”
Shawn bent forward and brushed his lips against his mate’s.

“You’re welcome. Where to?”

“Forward.”
“Good enough. Watch your step.”
They jumped from the edge and slowly made their way through

the elements, shoulders hunched and eyes squinted against the
blizzard. The wind swirled and twisted, changing direction every
other minute, forming miniature whirls of snow. It somehow managed
to find any patch of uncovered skin, no matter how tiny, and whipped
it raw. Despite the winter clothing they were wearing, the wind and
cold cut them to the bone. It should have been warmer due to the
snow falling, and yet only ten minutes out in the weather had their
teeth rattling, breaths ragged, and bodies shaking.

“We should get back. Before we freeze to death.”
“No. We go forward.” The words were wheezed, and it took a

great deal of will on Valentin’s part for them to form.

Every cell in Shawn’s body was attuned to the vampire, and his

concern over his mate’s condition was so great, he paid only a
modicum of attention to their surroundings. He was leading the way
through the heaps of snow, circling them, trying to find the easiest
way. Their feet sank in up to their knees, making their advance
difficult. Once in a while, the wind would shake the trees above them
and new piles of half-frozen chunks of snow would fall on their
heads. Valentin would gasp, his steps faltering, and he would fight to
find new strength to continue. One foot in front of the other. Again
and again.

The therian lost track of time, his focus on the man behind him

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and the trail lying in front of them. It was more than a guess, and that
started to worry him. Through growing piles of snow and blinding
blizzard, the path was still there in front of them. The wind wailed.
Hundreds of unseen eyes trained on Shawn, and he felt the weight of
each and every single stare. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled
and his fangs slid down from their pockets on their own. His nails
hardened, turning to claws, and the first ripples of fur tickled his skin.

What the hell was going on? His body trembled on the brink and

each step made the fight to keep himself under control and in human
form harder. Had he ever felt so, so out of his skin? Maybe in his
early years as a shifter, at his first few shifts. Did it have anything to
do with the storm? But how could it?

Shawn looked around him but nothing seemed to be out of place.

He sniffed the air and all it was was the cold. Like thousands of
frozen, tiny spikes raking down his windpipe, an ice bomb exploding
in his lungs, cutting off his ability to breathe. He choked and forced
more air into his lungs. A hand slapped his back heavily enough for
his knees to drop an inch and concerned words rang in his ear.

“Hey, are you okay?”
“Yes.” His voice failed and he broke out in a new fit of coughing.

He grabbed Valentin’s hand and held on to it.

Wind stormed behind them and pushed them forward. Shawn held

his ground, stubbornly.

“Someone wants us pretty badly.”
For once the vampire had it right. The storm kept roaring, horrible

behind them and bearable in front. The snow had created a narrow
hallway, like one would find in a labyrinth, and the height of the walls
surrounding them had, in some parts, passed two meters.

“We should go back.” In answer, the wind increased its force

again and the snow falling from the sky turned to ice, leaving deep
gashes on Shawn’s exposed face.

“Shit. You’re hurt.” Valentin cupped his lover’s face and lifted his

head to get a better view.

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“It’s nothing.” Shawn took the vampire’s hand away from his

cheek and placed a heartwarming kiss in the back of his palm. “What
do you think? Should we try to go back?”

The blizzard increased, its noise deafening. Wind hit Shawn hard,

knocking him off his feet. Valentin reached out to catch him, but his
hand slid past him. Flakes that had turned to ice hit Shawn with gale-
like force and he made a grab for his mate, dragging him under him to
shelter the man with his own body. The ice showers kept hitting, each
of them feeling like a rock being shot out of a sling.

The wind changed direction again, taking an ascending path, like

it was trying to dislodge Shawn from the man he was protecting. The
wind’s fingers turned to flesh ones and powerful hands pulled at his
shoulders. The shifter growled and shook himself free without
breaking his stance over his mate.

Someone snarled and Shawn lifted his head to meet the intruder’s

eyes, but the weather made it impossible. He could barely keep his
eyes open, and the pressure of the wind was so great, he had trouble
maintaining his position. Not that Valentin made his job any easier.
He wiggled, twisted, and struggled to get away from under him,
reaching out, fingers curved like claws, to the blurry form of their
attacker.

Shawn’s hood was thrown back and a hand fisted in his hair,

pulling him backward. He reached behind him, trying to catch the
assailant. His fingers searched and touched nothing but air, though the
hand in his hair had never loosened its grip. With the risk of uprooting
his hair, he dropped to his knees, dislodging the hand in the process.
A blow coming from a completely different direction than he’d
expected hit his right side and he doubled over with the sickening
sound of breaking bones.

Valentin snarled and launched himself, fingers turned to talons

and deadly fangs bared. Shawn reached out to grab him and missed.
The transformation that had him on the edge just minutes before took
over. Fur exploded, eyes flashed green. Scenery changed and colors

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141

dimmed. New shapes took form, men circling around, looking for an
opening to get to him or Valentin. Another one stood to the side,
mumbling something under his breath, apparently unaffected by the
raging blizzard around them.

Shawn made a beeline for the man, pegging him as the most

threatening of all. Another blow caught him midair and he landed
poorly, twisting his ankle. He let out a yelp and turned to face the
unknown threat. Two blurry shapes closed in and he lunged for the
nearest of them. He passed through it like it was made of air and
landed with a snarl two meters away.

Fuck! It was like fighting a ghost. How could one stand a chance?

Were they men? Vampires? He could smell no odor coming off them,
no matter how close he’d gotten, and he couldn’t blame it on the
storm.

His instinct screamed at him to move, to get out of the way. He

crouched and jumped to the side in time to dodge what could have
been a deadly blow to the head. As it was, it only scraped the fur, but
still managed to make his ears ring. He paused on his haunches trying
to catch his breath. His eyes drifted to the side, where his mate was
putting on a good show with three other shadow shapes.

* * * *

On his part, Valentin was dancing to a very dangerous tune. He’d

sneaked past, coiled, uncoiled, and dodged in fluid, uninterrupted
motions, knowing quite well that stopping for even the briefest
moment could mean his death. So he kept moving, his entire body
screaming warnings at him. Ghostly hands reached to grab him, and
they felt real enough on his flesh. They danced around one another, in
a rhythm old as life itself. He tried to make a grab, and his fingers
speared right through the shadow he was aiming at. His skin prickled
and Valentin spun around. The claws coming for his throat missed
their target, slid on his clavicle and grazed his shoulder.

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Valentin wondered briefly how Shawn was faring, but could not

risk a single glance at him. Feral snarls, growls, snaps, caterwauls,
and the occasional yelp was all he had to assure him his lover was still
alive, if not well.

Muffled curses sounded close by. Too close. Heart thudding in his

ears, he leaped to the side just in time to avoid being skewered
through by sharp talons. Power crackled over his skin and he swung at
the closest opponent in a futile attempt to turn the tables around. His
knuckles made contact with flesh, just barely. So it was possible. He
lunged again, teeth exposed. His hand wrapped around a thin throat
and he snapped it like a twig. He would have loved nothing better
than to revel in the blood of his enemies, to slowly drain them all, but
after the recent events he was wary of ingesting any. However, he
consoled himself with the thought that ripping off a head or assorted
limbs could be just as entertaining.

He held the limp body away from his body. The man, a vampire,

was dead, but it wouldn’t hurt to make sure. Using his other hand, he
slid his claws under the fine skin under the ears and ripped the throat
open, the whole procedure taking only a few moments. He
unceremoniously discarded the corpse and turned on his heels to face
the rest of his opponents.

Their shapes seemed clearer, like their bodies held more

substance. Their eyes glowed red, and saliva drooled from the tips of
their fangs, muscles coiled and ready to pounce, menacing snarls
rolling off their tongues, all in all a scary sight to behold.

* * * *

Shawn spared another glance at his mate, relieved that his lover

seemed to be holding his own, and turned to the lone figure standing
at a safe distance from the battlefield. He crouched low, his furred
belly almost touching the frozen ground, and crept as close as he
could. Ten meters. Nine. Seven. And then five.

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The caster took notice of him and his chanting failed, before it

began it again with a vengeance. Magic washed over his body,
invisible strings wrapping around him. The storm shifted again,
hitting the jaguar hard across the face. The shapes in the back turned
to face him, some of them leaping forward, trying to cut his path. He
pounced, flying through two ghostly figures in the process, an
unpleasant business, like sinking fully clothed in a cold river, and
landed on top of the caster.

Shawn clawed at the wizard’s face and shoulders. Pain flared,

each rake of his talons across the man’s skin echoing with one on his
body. Hard blows landed across his head, shoulders, and back, and he
felt bones cracking. He chewed at whatever flesh he could reach,
knowing deep inside him that killing the caster was their only chance,
as slight as it might be, to get out alive. Magic burst out from the
wizard like an explosion. It caught the cat in the middle, invisible
ropes wrapping around him, choking him. Shawn heard his name
screamed out in a high-pitched voice and the air filled with the
coppery scent of his blood.

* * * *

Valentin watched in horror as Shawn charged roaring at the caster,

lips curled to expose deadly looking fangs, eyes gleaming feral-green
under the falling snowflakes. Magic surged as the wizard resumed his
chanting.

“Shawn. No!”
He could see his scream had been in vain. His feet carried him

across the clearing on their own volition. The jaguar clawed away at
the caster, the blood splattered around seeming almost black in
contrast with the white of the snow. Blows landed on top of Shawn
and even from that distance Valentin could hear the bones shattering.
His breath hitched in his throat. He got closer and the scent of blood
hit him hard. This time it wasn’t appealing. Dark. Heavy. Bitter

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enough to make his nose crinkle in distaste. Nothing he would ever
consider eating.

The chanting faltered. The shadows around him acquired

substance and his hands grabbed flesh instead of air.

More blood marred the ground around the fighters, wizard blood,

vampires’, Shawn’s. A red haze covered Valentin’s eyes as he went
berserk. He couldn’t recall what happened next. Not for sure. More
blood spilled. Bones cracked. He vaguely remembered a head being
torn off a body. Not Shawn’s. That was all that mattered.

Blows rained down on him and he felt nothing, his entire being

connected to Shawn’s. When a fist connected with the jaguar side,
Valentin felt the hit on his body. He clawed, bit, shredded, did
everything he could to get the vampires away from Shawn. His own
safety came second. The fangs sinking into his shoulder blade barely
registered.

Magic surged and the cat’s breath wheezed from its lungs.

Valentin heard himself scream, and he sprang to his lover. Or at least
that was what he hoped he was doing, because it felt like he was
running under water. Before he could reach Shawn, the caster turned
his gaze on him and breathed an order. Hands grabbed him from
behind, wrapped around his torso, and sharp nails raked against his
throat. In the blink of an eye, the wizard was in his face, chanting in
his ear.

The man’s breath was foul, and Valentin tried to escape it. The

caster caught his jaw in a bruising grip and leaned in closer. Steel
fingers squeezed the vampire’s windpipe, almost ripping it open in the
process.

“You are nothing but trouble, fledgling.” The wizard’s voice was

rough, cruel. He brushed a cold, sticky hand across his cheek. “We
will have so much fun together.”

Shivers ran up Valentin’s spine and he recoiled in repulsion. A

groan sounded from the feline lying on the ground, and the caster
turned around, distaste clearly written on his face. Valentin’s eyes

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darted toward Shawn and found him fighting claws to tooth against
two mean-looking bloodsuckers.

Valentin struggled harder.
“He means something to you.” The vampire froze.
“You went out and fell for a shape-shifter. For a damned cat.

You’re a disgrace.” The last words were shouted. Air crackled and
blood gushed from fresh cuts opened on the vampire’s face by
invisible claws.

“A fucking cat.” He hit Valentin again and again until the

vampire’s face was but a bloody mass. The caster snaked his hand
around Valentin’s throat and resumed his chanting. The pressure in
the air increased and the blizzard faded into nothingness as the
vampire’s vision tunneled and he was jerked forward.

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Chapter 5

Shawn came back slowly to his senses. He was still in his jaguar

shape lying on the frozen ground, half-covered in snow. He felt numb.
He’d watched the wizard hit Valentin over and over, seen his mate’s
blood splattered over the snow on the ground. He’d tried to reach him,
to drag the caster from Valentin and rip him to tiny bits and pieces.
But dispatching the two bloodsuckers that stood in his way took
longer than he anticipated, and he could only stare in horror as his
mate had been swept away in the mists conjured by the warlock,
along with the remaining vampires. He remembered screaming and
launching himself at the spot where his lover had stood. He’d howled
his pain to the sky until he could no longer use his vocal cords.

The storm had ceased and sun broke through the blanket of clouds

and was now shining brightly. Shawn had no idea of how long had
passed. He couldn’t move, couldn’t think, his entire body an open
wound. Oh God. Valentin. Where was his mate? What had happened
to him? He drew in a deep breath and a sharp pain stabbed in a
million places at once.

He turned on his belly and his body protested. He tried standing

and his right front ankle gave way with a sickening crack. Breath
wheezed out of his lungs as his muzzle hit the ground. He bit back a
yelp as his mouth filled with blood.

He allowed the hurt to subside before he started the whole painful

process all over again. He had no idea how many minutes had passed
before he was standing on wobbly legs. Each move needed a huge
amount of concentration, and it took forever. He could almost feel his
synapses going into overload by sending electrical impulses to the

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muscle.

Painfully slowly, he turned and scanned the battlefield. The place

was trashed, marked by dried blood, unearthed dirt, and broken
branches. And magic. There were only traces of it, the caster long
gone, and they created an intricate model, like a layered spiderweb.
Their scents were scarce, his, Valentin’s, the wizard’s, blood, and that
was about it. And his mate was nowhere to be found.

Valentin was gone! His lean, sweet, witty vampire was gone! His

pulse quickened until he couldn’t hear anything over the pounding in
his ears as panic settled in his gut, choking him. His mind reeled,
thoughts rushing in, one atop another, and he couldn’t grasp any of
them. He could no longer see the winter scenery surrounding him, but
Valentin’s body lying in some ditch, bloodied and broken. Bile rose to
his throat. He bent forward and heaved, but nothing came out, his
stomach beyond empty, thank heavens for small favors.

He stood there shaking, trying to get himself under control,

physical discomfort long forgotten.

When he got his bearings back, Shawn circled the entire clearing,

muzzle on the ground, trying to find anything that could lead him to
his mate. The coppery scent of blood became stronger as he reached
the other part of the clearing, laced with a hint of something else,
something very familiar. Wool. Most likely a piece of Valentin’s
sweater. Shit! His heart skipped a beat as he started digging. Claws
raked over the iced soil and he whimpered in frustration. Finally he
reached under layers of snow and ice and found a piece of the sweater
he had bought earlier for the vampire. He remembered how Valentin
had run his fingers over the soft fabric and the happy sigh he’d let out
after he had it on.

Unaware of the little distraught noises he made, the jaguar dug

deeper, his mind screaming. He can’t be dead. He cannot. Please
God, don’t let him be dead.

It appeared that God was in a giving mood, because Shawn

couldn’t find any more traces of his lover.

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He sat gingerly on his haunches, holding the piece of fabric

between his teeth. His body was sore and he needed to shift back and
forth a few times for him to feel better, but with his emotions all over
the place the odds of that happening were pretty slim. Still holding the
shred of clothing, he limped back on his own tracks, half hoping he
would find more traces of Valentin. By the time he reached his duffel,
his mind had already made a decision. He would find his lover, no
matter where he was. He would find a way.

But first he needed clothes, as his were scattered all over the place

where he’d shifted earlier. He placed the piece of clothing on top of
his bag and began shifting. It was slow and painful, and it gave him
time to fully assess the damage done to his body. A few broken ribs,
probably one of them had punctured a lung, which would explain the
faint wheezing in his breath. Luckily it hadn’t collapsed. Broken
wrist. Bite marks. Torn flesh. The back of his skull was throbbing, the
bone most likely cracked due to a vicious blow. His fur was burned in
some places, magic no doubt, and his skin bore the first signs of
frostbite.

He shifted back and forth until he felt better. He got dressed in

fresh clothes and swore when he realized that his boots had been most
likely damaged beyond repair. Wearing sneakers in the snow sucked.
Maybe he could salvage them. He snagged the shred of Valentin’s
sweater and despair blackened his retinas. He’s out there, out in the
cold. Naked. He hates cold. I need to get to him fast.

Shawn ran, duffel forgotten, and skidded to a stop at the place

he’d shifted earlier. He was digging before his knees touched the
ground. He found pieces of his clothing, and his boots, which luckily
weren’t in the bad shape he’d expected them to be in. He winced at
his wet socks and decided it would be better to remove them all
together. He tied his shoelaces, grateful that the numbness in his feet
stopped him from feeling just how uncomfortable bare feet in frozen
boots felt. Warming up would be a bitch. He located his wallet, shook
the water away, and shoved it in his pocket.

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After one last sweep around the clearing in search of any tracks or

signs he might have missed the first time, he headed back for the
railroad. His eyes scanned relentlessly the evergreen forest
surrounding him, his senses on high alert, but it took him a good
number of minutes to understand what was amiss. There were no
animals, no birds, not a single living soul.

He walked through the snow for hours, his feet numb, his hands

frozen, thinking only of Valentin. He’d known the man for a few days
only. He knew the vampire was his chosen mate, yet he’d failed to see
just what that meant. He’d expected to miss him, to wonder about
him. Perhaps to feel slightly jealous if he were to see him with
another man. He hadn’t been prepared for the full extent of the pain
he felt. It was almost physical, like a blow to his stomach. Punch after
punch, each one a new shock to his system. It seemed like his heart
was trapped in an iron grip and he could no longer remember the last
time he’d managed to breathe normally. Since before the fight, for
sure.

He broke into a light run, the fastest his body could have managed

in those circumstances.

* * * *

Shawn reached the town he’d left just the day before and stumbled

in the first diner he saw. There were so many things he had to do, but
first things first. He needed his strength, and for that he had to eat. He
dug in his pants for his wallet and put it on the table before taking the
seat closest to the heater. Curious looks met his arrival, nothing he
hadn’t been expecting, him being a stranger and way underdressed for
the weather. Waitresses exchanged questioning looks and then one of
them lifted one shoulder as if saying who cares? just as she headed
over to take his order.

“What can I get you, handsome?”
“Chicken soup and stew if you have them. And a cup of tea,

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please.” His teeth rattled, making speech difficult. “You wouldn’t
have a phone that I could use, would you?”

The waitress looked at him like he was from another planet.

“Never mind. Just the food and the tea please.”

The woman turned to leave and then stopped to throw the answer

over her shoulder. “There is a public phone just around the corner. I
will bring your tea in a minute.”

She was out of there so fast he didn’t even had the time to thank

her. As promised, the tea appeared on his table not a minute later. It
was hot and strong and just the way he liked it. Thanks to that and the
heater, he was starting to warm up, and his feet were screaming out in
pain. The thought of how his bare feet might look like in his boots
made him groan out loud.

The food was good, way better than he had expected, and he

asked for seconds while planning his next move.

Phone in hand, he dialed Andrei’s phone number from his

memory. Heavens, let it be right.

“‘Lo?” His friend’s voice came over the line and some of the

tension left Shawn’s body.

“Andrei, hi. It’s Shawn.”
“Shawn, old buddy. How’ve you been? Long time no see.”
The man seemed genuinely happy to hear from him.
“Yes, it has been. I’m sorry I haven’t called sooner…”
“No need. We both know what your stepfather is like.”
How true. Timothei has quite a reputation among therians and

outsiders tended to give him a wide berth. “Listen. I hate to ask this of
you, but I need your help.”

His announcement was met by silence. Shawn held his breath in,

waiting for his friend’s answer.

“I see.”
He was going to say no. Shawn just knew it.
“I thought we were friends.” Andrei sounded more sad than

accusatory.

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Shawn pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, every

last bit of hope dying inside him.

“So did I. I’m sorry to have bothered you.” He squeezed the

phone tight and made a move to hang it back on. A single word from
the other end of the line was enough to make him change his mind.

“Wait. Shawn?”
“Yeah?”
“That came out wrong. I didn’t mean I won’t help you. I hoped

that you would come to me because we are friends and not as your
last resource.”

“I’m sorry. Believe it or not, you were the only one I thought to

ask for help.”

Andrei’s low chuckle made him remember better days, when they

were both young and carefree.

“That’s much better. Now what can I do for you, fur ball?”

* * * *

The wizard and his accomplices had brought Valentin to the

golden hall of a huge mansion. And he had done so with just a flick of
his wrist. Valentin’s first impression had been right, though he wished
it hadn’t. The man was very powerful.

The vampire looked around the room and shifted uncomfortably

from foot to foot. He was still bleeding, his wounds taking longer to
heal than usual. The smell of his own blood was blocking any other
scents that could have marked the room.

He glanced sideways to his jailers and found them paying no

visible attention to him. Maybe that was something he could take
advantage of. He opened up his mind and tried for a quick sweep of
the room.

Old. Full of magic. Just because he couldn’t use magic, it didn’t

mean he couldn’t recognize it. He opened himself up a little more.
Blood, dried and bitter. Malevolence. And the faint echoes of

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screams, pain, and sorrow. What the hell was this place? His first
thought would have been an old castle with a moat and dungeons, the
whole deal. But who lived in those anymore?

A door opened somewhere on his right and involuntarily he turned

in that direction. His ears prickled and picked up the rhythmical
cadence of steps getting closer. Another pair of feet joined the first,
and then another. And another. Valentin’s hackles rose and a wave of
panic shot through him.

Shit! This is gonna be bad.
The steps drew closer. Valentin’s hand flew to his hip, where he

half expected to find a weapon. His jailers sneered at his gesture. A
door opened.

A tall vampire, yes he was a vampire, Valentin was sure of that,

entered the room, followed by six others, marching in a perfect
echelon behind him.

The leader was tall, lean, oozing strength from his every pore, his

movements confident and sharp. He could have been anything from
thirty-five to fifty years old in human years. Not that it mattered. He
had the bearings of a knight. His looks bordered on cliché, with long,
black hair, big, dark eyebrows, a long nose, and a strong jaw. But
what demanded attention were his eyes. Icy blue, cold and ruthless.
Eyes of a killer. That, and the evilness surrounding him.

“I see you’ve kept your word, witch. I am most pleased.” Nasal r.

French. His bearing should have been a dead giveaway, though most
old vampires held themselves like kings. Who was this vampire who
dared keeping wizards as servants when millennia-old laws clearly
forbade it? Why would anyone risk death for going against the
Council just for the pleasure of having a magician as a pet?

The caster bowed his head in acknowledgment of the praise.
“Thank you, my lord.” Valentin couldn’t help noticing that the

wizard didn’t sound deferential at all. Like they were equals or
something, and that alone raised more warnings.

The master turned his piercing gaze on him, and Valentin felt the

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153

incredible need to lower his eyes.

“Do you know why I brought you here, fledgling?”
“Valentin. My name is Valentin.”
“Your name is what I say it is.” The master backslapped Valentin

so hard he stumbled backward. He recovered fast and snarled, fangs
flashing.

“You have no claim over me. You are not my sire.”
“You have no sire anymore, fledgling.”
“You…you’re the one who killed Yuri.”
The master’s eyes gleamed and his lips curled in distaste. He

stepped closer to Valentin, crowding his personal space, and roughly
traced the vampire’s mouth with the tip of his finger. It wasn’t sexual
but a show of power, and they both knew it.

“He had something I wanted.” Valentin snarled and tried to bite

off the offending finger. “Now, now, fledgling, you have no one. You
are all alone in this big, big world.”

“I have a grandsire.”
“Do you see him anywhere? Why would an elder bother with a

little nothing like yourself?” He gave him the once-over, lips quirked
in a sneer, like he was staring at something unpleasant. “You are
acceptable enough. For one night. Though why anyone would seek
more from you than a quick fuck is beyond me.”

“In that case, why did you go to all that trouble to get your hands

on me?” The master’s eyes flashed menacingly just before his hand
shot out and slapped Valentin across the face. He didn’t even have
time to brace himself and the blow, fast and hard, sent him a couple of
steps back. The slap was quickly followed by another, and his fangs
nicked his lower lip.

“You. Will. Not. Talk. Back. To. Me.” Each word was marked by

another blow, and when they stopped, Valentin’s ears were ringing
and blood was gushing from his nose, running down his mouth and
chin.

“Now. Where were we?”

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“I think you were about to tell me why you brought me here.” He

winced inwardly. He might have very well won another round with
King Arthur there. But he couldn’t bring himself to care. After
leaving Shawn fighting for his life in the middle of the worst blizzard
he’d seen in his life, what happened with him didn’t matter anymore.
Maybe he could goad the scary master into killing him fast. One
glance at the other man’s eyes was enough to squash that bit of hope
from the start.

“You have a big mouth. I’m sure I could think of better uses for

it.”

Valentin flashed his fangs at him. “You are welcome to try it.”
The master’s hand shot up and grabbed Valentin’s jaw. “I see that

breaking you will turn out to be quite the challenge. But you will
break. They all do”

“Fuck you!” He spat the words and jerked back. The fingers

tightened their grip around his jaw and he felt the bones crumble
under the pressure.

“Just the other way around.”
“Okay, let me rephrase. Go fuck yourself!” Words formed with

difficulty, but Valentin put all of his strength behind them. The
wizard’s presence rendered his own power useless, and it wouldn’t
have done him much good against a master vampire and his lackeys,
so Valentin didn’t have much to rely on.

“Let’s see what kind of tune you will be singing after spending a

few hours in my witch’s company.” The lord pulled his hand away
and turned away without a second glance behind. “He’s all yours,
Raven.”

The caster smirked. The lord marched out, followed by his

bodyguards. Though why a man like that would need a security detail
was beyond Valentin. The wizard bowed his head in deference and
flicked his hand in Valentin’s general direction.

“Bring him.” He turned on his heels and exited the room through

the door on the opposite side than the master had.

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155

Rough hands grabbed him and dragged him behind the caster.

* * * *

Raven had Valentin chained to a wooden armchair in a cell in the

basement, though from the looks of it, the room had served as a
torture chamber on more than one occasion. It still held reminiscence
of blood and pain. Funny how he couldn’t identify scents to save his
life, but he could recognize pain everywhere. Especially when it was
his.

The caster hadn’t used any weapons or torture devices yet. There

was no need for them. He was doing a fabulous job as it was. All it
took was magic. It slithered into Valentin’s body, crawled under his
skin like snakes. It sank its little claws into each cell, burning him
from the inside out. He rattled and pulled at the chains, he snarled and
growled and threatened, not that he had the power to back it up, but at
least he was going down fighting.

Hours later there was no more fight left in him. He was all

bloodied up and tired and felt like a sheet in the wind. His wrists were
bruised black from all pulling on the chains; they were thin, they were
silver, they should have been easy to break. So should the chair.
However, the only thing broken was his will to fight.

When the door opened to allow entrance to the coven’s lord and

master, Valentin just let his eyes drift shut.

“How is it going, witch?”
“We are making progress, lord De Nemours.”
De Nemours, De Nemours. Which of them? Oh, who cared? They

were all tyrants. Some more than others, that’s for sure.

“We shall see.” The master stepped right up to the armchair,

rested his hands on the handles next to Valentin’s, and leaned in until
their faces almost touched.

“Now, let’s see if you are a bit more cooperative. Where is it?”
When Valentin didn’t answer, the lord backslapped him, making

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his head spin.

“I will ask again. Where is it?”
Valentin kept his mouth tightly shut and gathered all he had left in

him to glare at his tormentor.

“Very well. Have it your way.”
And De Nemours proceeded to beat the shit out of him.

* * * *

According to Andrei’s instructions, Shawn was climbing up the

Ceahl

ău Mountain in search of a hermit who was supposed to help

him. What kind of help he was supposed to provide, the therian didn’t
know. But his friend said he would, and Shawn was willing to try out
anything at that point.

It was almost nightfall. He’d been climbing for hours and hoped

to find this hermit soon or he’d be forced to spend the night out in the
cold, a not-so-appealing perspective. He was restless and making
mistakes because of that. He’d even had to retrace his steps a couple
of times. And that didn’t do. Time was of issue, he felt it in his bones.

It wasn’t snowing anymore, but the temperature had dropped well

below zero and his boots were making creaking sounds with each step
he took.

The air stirred and he stopped to investigate. At that altitude he

needed to be aware of wildlife, as even on the best of days a jaguar
could hardly win against a bear, and his current shape was far from
that. Luckily, he didn’t need to worry about that, as the soft wind
brought only the scent of smoke and man. A lone male. In this
weather?

Shawn steered toward the source of the scent. There was no path

or trail anymore and so he had only his nose to guide him through. He
unzipped his new parka and let his nails turn into claws in preparation
for what was to come.

His steps carried him farther away from the trail, deeper into the

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157

forest. The trees parted in front of him, revealing the entrance of a
cave. A frail column of smoke was slowly but surely creeping away
from the inside.

Shawn took one deep breath, a final check before stepping inside.

The hallway wasn’t very wide, but the ceiling stood at over five
meters high, making the room seem larger. A dim light coming from a
small fire in the middle of the hall gave the place an eerie glow.

The shifter took in all the small details before he focused on the

old man sitting cross-legged, facing the entrance, eyes trained on the
fire in front of him. His hair was white, and his skin, the parts that
were visible from under the furs he was wearing, though flawless, had
the ageless look that seemed to be common after a certain age. If the
man had heard him approach, he didn’t show it. The air smelled like
herbs and spices, nothing like an old man was supposed to smell like,
and the scent was unbelievably soothing.

“Step closer, thee of different shapes.”
“Huh?”
The man lifted his eyes to meet Shawn’s and smiled

enigmatically. His motioned the therian to take a seat in front of the
fire.

“Uhmm. I’m not sure if I’m in the right place.”
“What are you doing here, then?”
The man took a few dried leaves from a bowl sitting next to him

and threw them into the fire. The flames danced in joy and smoke
swirled.

“I was looking for a hermit. A friend of mine said I should talk

with him.”

“That still doesn’t answer my question.”
“I don’t know.” That was the truth. He didn’t know why, but

Shawn felt he had to talk with this man. He might not be the right
person. But who else would live in a cave in the middle of nowhere
during the winter?

“And yet, here you are, skin walker.”

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“Why do you call me this?”
“Aren’t you one?”
Shawn frowned in confusion. He searched the man’s eyes and

couldn’t read anything in their depths.

“Why don’t you ask me the question you came here for?”
“There is someone…”
The elder waited patiently, staring emotionless at the therian,

making Shawn nervous.

“I met him only a few days ago though it feels longer. He’s gotten

into some trouble. And now he is missing and I don’t know if he is
alive.”

“He hasn’t been alive in quite some time now.”
Shawn’s heart skipped a beat. Or ten. He had to swallow twice for

the lump in his throat to go down enough to allow him to speak. The
man didn’t even seem to notice Shawn’s turmoil.

“So he is dead?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“He is not alive and he is not dead either. What else is there?”
“Dead and alive are just two states of matter. And there are many

others in between.”

“So he’s a ghost now?
“Is that what you see him as?”
For a second Shawn could picture himself pulling his hair out in

frustration. Pulling the hermit’s hair out sounded even better.

“We’re not getting anywhere.”
“Where do you want to go?”
He sighed and tried for a different approach. This one wasn’t

paying any results.

“Can you tell me if he is all right?”
“You already know the answer to that.”
As it seemed, the second approach wasn’t working either.
“Is there any way I can get him back?”
“It depends.”

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159

“On what?”
“On what you are willing to do to get him back.”
“Tell me what to do.”
“It’s not something I can do. What you do has to be entirely your

choice.”

“I can understand that.” And he could. “But you could tell me

what my choices are.”

“I could.”
“But you won’t.”
“Because you don’t want to know your choices. You already

know them. You want to know what the future holds, and that is
something I cannot say.”

“You don’t know or you don’t want to say?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know.” He was back at mentally pulling his hair

out.

“Tell me this, hunter. Why do you care so much?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then that’s the first thing you have to figure out.”
“He is my mate.” He sounded like he was explaining himself, and

he hated nothing more than that, especially in front of a stranger, be it
an elder or not. It made him go all defensive.

“You say it like it explains everything.”
“It should. It does. In my world, that is everything you need. No

one can go against the mating bond.”

“But you are not bonded.”
Shawn gaped at the hermit. “How could you know that?”
“You have not claimed him yet.”
It wasn’t a question. Shawn gave up any hope of understanding

where the elder was leading him and decided to just go with it.

“No.”
“Why not?”
“It wasn’t the time, I guess.”

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“What is time? How do you decide when the time is?”
“You just know.”
“What are you afraid of?”
He opened his mouth to say he wasn’t afraid of anything, but

discovered he couldn’t lie to the man. “Of losing him.”

“Then why didn’t you claim him yet?”
“I told you, it wasn’t the right time.”
“It sounds to me that you were afraid.”
“Of what?” he scoffed.
“Why are you asking me questions whose answers you already

know?”

What is this old man talking about? He is my mate, what would I

be afraid of? It wasn’t something he could change. Not that he would.
Of his feelings for the vampire? Sure, he cared for the man. Otherwise
would he go to all this trouble to find him? Yeah, that was it. He
cared for him. But he had a nagging feeling that he was lying to
himself.

The hermit took another scoop of the plants and threw them into

the flames.

Could he be in love with Valentin? It couldn’t be. And yet a tiny

mocking voice in the back of his mind was laughing at him. He
groaned. Oh God, he was. In love.

Love was not a requirement for the bond between mates. Sure, it

often developed, but to happen so soon? He wasn’t ready. It had
sneaked up on him and caught him wide open and unprepared. He’d
accepted that they were mates. He’d said this much to Valentin. But
he hadn’t fully grasped the meaning of it all until then. He’d asked
forever of his lover and offered so little in return. And not a word
about feelings.

“I love him, and I’m afraid to tell him. Afraid he wouldn’t want

me.” Somehow, saying it out loud was less painful than thinking it.

The hermit seemed pleased with his answer.
“Am I too late?”

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161

“No. But you could be.”
“Where can I find him? If you know, tell me, please.” He was

begging and he couldn’t care less.

“Blood would lead you to him. And friends will stand by your

side.”

“Can you be any less cryptic?”
“Be careful on your way down. It’s slippery.”
“Please. I need to know.”
“You know everything you need to know.” The dismissal was

clear. He lingered one more minute staring at the hermit, hoping the
man might change his mind and tell him more, but when it became
clear that it wasn’t the case, Shawn got slowly to his feet and turned
to leave. When he reached the exit he turned and threw back over his
shoulder, “You didn’t ask me what I would do to get him back.”

“I already know that.”
“Oh?”
“Anything. You wouldn’t be standing here if you wouldn’t. You

wouldn’t have reached so far.”

“Whole lot of good it did me,” he muttered.
“Didn’t it?” The hermit had heard him and answered just as

quietly.

Shawn hesitated on the last step. He debated with himself for a

second and then bowed his head to the elder.

“Thank you.” He didn’t wait for an answer and stepped out into

the night.

* * * *

Valentin had long lost track of time. The torture sessions

alternated with the interrogation ones. And none of that was fun. De
Nemours came only for interrogations, leaving otherwise the pale
vampire in the wizard’s care. When it turned out they couldn’t break
him, Raven had pulled out the heavy stuff. The devices he had there

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Valentin had only encountered in history books, and none of which he
wanted to see up close. Unfortunately it wasn’t up to him. He had
bled so much it was astounding there was any left in him. His jailers
had tried feeding him, but no matter what kind of blood they gave
him, he couldn’t keep it down. They’d tried anything, human,
vampire, or werewolf blood, nothing worked.

When the torture had finally ceased, Valentin was sure it was just

a temporary thing, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Steps
reverberated in the hallway and traces of power threading in the air
signaled the arrival of not just De Nemours but another vampire as
well. Oh joy. The fun continues. Who might that be? Dracula? An
executioner? Satan? Mephisto? At this point anything was possible.

The door opened and the master stepped inside, followed by a tall,

hooded vampire.

“How are we doing here?”
“The same.” The wizard seemed confused, like he was finding the

prospect of not being able to break Valentin unfathomable.

“We’ll take it from here.” The dismissal was clear. The caster

hesitated but couldn’t help but follow.

The room emptied but for Valentin and his two visitors. The pale

vampire pulled tentatively at the chains binding him to the armchair.
“I’d love to give you some privacy.” His tone was hopeful though the
effect was pretty much ruined by the whistle the freshly missing front
tooth was putting in his voice.

The second vampire removed his hood and the chained vampire

growled. Shit! I’m seeing things. There’s no way. This cannot be.

The second vampire was an elder, Valentin was sure of it.

They’ve never been formally introduced, but from the life he’d spent
with his sire he knew when he was in over his head.

“Do you know who I am?” The voice was warm, hypnotic, and

Valentin didn’t trust it one bit.

“I know what you are.”
“And what am I?”

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163

“An elder. Part of the Council.” That would explain the presence

of the wizard. De Nemours wouldn’t have dared if he didn’t have a
Council member at his back.

“Very good.” Valentin felt the pull of the voice and his mind sent

out warning signals, just as his body strained to get closer.

“Yes.”
“Are you aware that now, when your sire is dead, you are up for

grabs? That anyone out there could kill you just for the fun of it?”

“Yes,” he answered in a daze, his focus entirely on the elder’s

voice.

“You need a protector, a master. Would you like to belong to my

house?”

That sounds good. The ideal offer. Wait. Why am I not thrilled

then? There has to be a reason. Fuck that!

He opened his mouth to say yes, but it came out no.
The elder paused.
“I’m Wilhelm Adelmann.”
Oh shit! He’s the Council’s executioner, a sadistic killer whose

services are available to the highest bidder. I should have known he’s
the one who sent Theodore after me.

“I’m powerful and my bloodline goes back almost all the way to

the beginning. You won’t get a better offer.” This time his tone held a
trace of a threat, but he had a point. An elder’s protection wasn’t
something to sneeze about, and its refusal could have had dire
consequences.

“And yet my answer is still no.”
The silence stretched out longer this time.
“I won’t beg you to join my line. This is a one-time deal.”
“I appreciate it. But I’d like to be on my own.” With Shawn. If

he’s still alive—God, be alive! And if he’d have me.

“I see. In that case you are welcome to stay here until you feel

better.”

“Here as in the dungeons?” Valentin looked around the cold,

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humid cell they were in. “Thanks but no thanks. I would just go, if
that’s okay.”

“Actually it’s not.”
“And there I thought you brought me here just out of the goodness

of your heart. Of course, chaining me to the chair might be a bit
extreme.”

“Extreme? Not from where I’m standing.”
That’s because you’re not strapped to an armchair.
“So, if you’re done bribing me, maybe you can tell me the real

reason why I’m here.”

“I want The Immortal.”
“What does this have to do with me?”
“You will give it to me.”
“I don’t have it. Never had. I’m not even sure it exists.”
“But it does. Yuri had it. He was your sire. You see where I’m

going with that.”

“Yes, I do. But I still can’t help you.”
“You mean you won’t.”
“I really mean I can’t.”
“That’s not what I want to hear.”
“It’s the only answer I have.”
Adelmann’s eyes gleamed and the fangs flashed from under his

upper lip.

“You’ll have to do better than that.”
“It would serve at nothing. I’ve never seen it. I’ve heard stories of

it, but I’ve never thought it was real.”

The elder’s eyes turned to slits and power swirled in the air.

Valentin shifted in his seat as far as the chains allowed him to. Pissing
off the Council assassin wouldn’t do at all.

“You need another session with Raven.”
“Oh, great.”
De Nemours stepped up and cleared his throat.
“Yes, Jacques?”

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165

That De Nemours. Not that it matters any. They are all the same,

but I feel much better knowing who’s going to kill me.

“We might have a problem with that.”
Adelmann turned to look at De Nemours. The lord gestured at the

skinny vampire.

“He won’t handle any more of Raven’s gift. He is too sick. Been

puking his guts out for the last thirty-six hours.”

So that’s how long I’ve been here. Good to know.
“Why is he sick?”
“We don’t know.”
“It couldn’t be related to Yuri’s death. Vampires don’t die when

their sire does. Not even young ones like him.”

“That’s what we thought, too. It’s some kind of substance.”
“How could you give him something if you don’t know how he

would react to it?”

De Nemours looked offended by the comment.
“I haven’t. We don’t even know what it is. Our best guess is that

he had it in him and it was dormant somehow.”

Dormant? Is he stupid? I’ve been puking my guts out for months

now.

“I don’t care what it is. Make it happen. I need the stone and I

need it tonight. The Council will be arriving tomorrow and without
the rock all my efforts have been in vain.” An evil snarl curled his lips
and malice clouded his eyes. “I want that Council dissolved. I want
each and every single one of them dead. I want them to suffer.”

Holy mother of God! He wants to use the stone to take over the

Council!

“Yes, master.” Raven bound his head in deference.
“Try not to disappoint me.” The tone of his voice was clear. Do it

or else. From the way De Nemours’s body shook, the meaning had
not escaped him.

The elder marched out of the room without sparing any of them a

second glance. The wizard stepped in and closed the door behind him.

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“I don’t care what you do, but make him talk. Fast.”
“Oh, he’s talking all right. The problem is that nothing useful

comes out of his mouth.”

The lord growled at him, and the caster took a hasty step back and

tipped his head in submission.

“You have until the morning. Try not to kill him in process.”

Valentin was all for that. Like the older vampire could read his mind,
he turned around and smirked at the bound man. “We’ll save that for
the day after tomorrow.”

* * * *

When Shawn reached the town of Piatra Neam

ţ, lying at the feet

of the Ceahl

ău Mountain, he was still thinking about his conversation

with the hermit. What had he meant by blood will lead me to him? He
had to hand it to the man, he’d been right about everything else.
Shawn would have done anything to get his mate back. And keep
him. Hopefully Valentin wanted that, too, or Shawn’s life was going
to be very lonely.

He went back to the motel room he’d checked in to when he’d

reached the town and checked his messages. He’d hoped Andrei
would get back at him, maybe with the location of Valentin. Any
piece of information, no matter how small, would have been
welcome. But there was none.

He shed his wet clothes and changed into fresh ones, noting

absently that at this rate he was going to be out of clean clothes by the
end of the week, and he found the shredded piece from Valentin’s
sweater. He stared at it for the longest moment. Could it be that easy?
Shawn rushed out of the room, raced down the stairs, and skidded to a
stop in from of the front desk.

“I need a map.”
“Of the town, sir?” The young clerk behind the desk made it

sound like it was something he couldn’t comprehend.

Perfect Timing

167

“No. Of the whole country, if you have one.”
The clerk searched through the stack of papers on his desk and

came up with a battered road map.

“Would this be okay, sir?”
“It would do. Thanks. Put it on my tab, please.”
Shawn rushed back up the stairs and locked the door behind him.

He swept his things from the small table and laid the opened map on
top of it. He grabbed a chair and brought it closer.

“Now. How do I do this?”
He closed his eyes and took deep, relaxing breaths. He could feel

his heartbeats steadying and a calm he wouldn’t dare hope to feel
enveloped him. The piece of cloth felt alive in his hold, warm and
familiar, and the map pulsed under his hands. Eyes still closed, he ran
the material above the entire surface of the map, lingering over the
places where he could feel it pulsing the stronger. He checked it again
and again until the fabric sang to him.

He marked the spot and opened his eyes. The area was located

between Râ

şnov and Brașov. If he remembered correctly, the place

was filled with history and legends. Some of them were considered to
be related to Vlad Dracul, the most famous alleged vampire in the
world. Nothing more than a myth, Shawn was sure of that, but every
legend carried some truth, so he wasn’t dismissing the possibility of a
coven in the area.

He grabbed the phone on the nightstand and dialed Andrei’s

number.

“Come on. Pick up. Pick up! Damn it!”
On the fifth ring it went to voice mail. “Andrei, it’s Shawn. I think

I know where Valentin is. Somewhere between Bra

șov and Râşnov.

That’s all I’ve got, but I’m heading there right now. If you could talk
with the packs in the area to let them know I will be coming, it would
be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Gotta go. Bye.”

He slammed the phone down and rushed around the room

throwing back in the duffel whatever articles of clothing he’d taken

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out earlier.

* * * *

Over three hundred kilometers away, a black-haired man was

pacing around an imposing-looking office, wearing a big scowl on his
face and holding a cell phone at his ear.

“…I think I know where Valentin is…” Okay. Good. Please tell

me you are staying put and waiting for me.

“…I’m heading there right now.” Of course you are, damn it! Why

can’t you just wait and talk with me?

“…If you could talk with the packs in the area to let them know I

will be coming, it would be greatly appreciated.” Oh, sure. Go right
ahead, trespass on at least three pack territories, with no one to back
you up or scout the area or even know anything about it.

He strolled to the door and jerked it open.
“Alex! Robert! Get in here.”
The two men entered the room and found Andrei staring out the

window, his body tense and mood foul.

“Robert, let everyone know we’re going to Bra

șov.”

Both men exchanged concerned looks.
“I’ve heard it’s lovely this time of the year,” said Robert

tentatively.

“Yeah, too bad we won’t get to enjoy it.”
“So no skiing equipment, I take it.”
Andrei gave him an evil glare. “No. Just light clothing.” Ignoring

their alpha’s obvious bad mood, they strolled across the room and
slouched on the chairs facing the desk.

“Are we expecting trouble?” Alex pitched in.
“Nope. We’re looking for trouble.”
“It makes much more sense when you put it like that.”
“Alex.” Andrei growled out his name.
“I’m your second-in-command. If there’s something going on, I

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should know about it.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” The alpha’s shoulders hunched and a deep

sigh escaped his chest. “Remember my friend Shawn?”

“The black jaguar you went to college with? That bastard

Timothei’s stepkid?”

“That’s the one. He got into some trouble and he asked for my

help.” He glanced at his friends and found them watching him
intently. “His mate, go figure, is a vampire.” He paused for effect and
dropped the bomb. “And a male.”

Robert’s brows shot up and Alex whistled low.
“Shawn’s gay?”
“It was news for me too. He’d only dated girls in college.”
“That’s what I thought. But why would that be a problem? If he is

okay with it…”

“His mate was kidnapped.”
“Why?” Alex, always the one to cut to the chase, asked.
“From what Shawn said, Valentin, that’s the guy, had witnessed

the murders of his coven.”

“Hey, I think I’ve heard something a coven being slaughtered.”
Andrei kept talking, ignoring the interruption. “He fled, he was

followed, and they caught up with them.”

He took his cell out and replayed the message.
Alex and Robert exchanged another look.
“Hum. Andrei? You sure this is a good idea?”
“No.”
“It could be a trap.”
“It could very well be. And it could all be true.”
“You could endanger the entire pack. Whoever slaughtered that

coven, the whole coven, no less, must be very powerful.”

“Why do you want to do it?” Alex’s voice was soft. Andrei looked

at him and found only understanding in his friend’s eyes.

“Because if the roles were reversed I’d like to have someone

stepping up for me.”

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Both of his friends understood Andrei’s turmoil, as they all hoped

there was someone for each of them out there, and they trusted him
implicitly. He’d been their alpha for over five years now, and he’d yet
to make a single mistake.

“What would you have us do?”
“Alex, get on the phone and contact the packs in the Bra

șov area.

If I remember correctly, there are three controlling those parts.”

“Yeah, I think it’s Alin Budescu’s pack, Mihai Sorescu’s and

Dana Zamfir’s. Isn’t Alin a friend of yours?”

“Yeah, he is. Just try to reach them all and I will do the talking.

Robert, let everyone know to get ready. We leave within the hour.”

* * * *

Shawn reached Bra

șov and headed for the nearest hotel. He badly

needed a shower, a bite to eat, and a few hours of sleep, not
necessarily in that order. He stopped and picked up a couple of
sandwiches and a Pepsi to wash them down and ate them so fast he
didn’t even taste them. A five-minute shower, fresh clothes, the last
ones he had, a dreamy glance at the bed, and he was out the door.

He hadn’t been to Bra

șov in years, and he was unfamiliar with the

local packs, but he knew there weren’t any felines there. The best way
to get the feel of the place was to find some of the locals, so he
followed his nose to one of the bars who catered to the were-
population.

Shawn stood at the entrance, checking out the place. It was the

everyday kind of joint with pool tables and leather booths. Most of the
clients were werewolves, and one after another stopped whatever it
was doing to stare at the strange therian invading its territory. He
squared his shoulders and strolled to the bar, followed by suspicious
looks and whispers of the patrons.

“What can I get you?” the bartender, a tall werewolf in his thirties,

asked with a grin.

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171

“I could go for a tea, if you have any.”
The smile turned to a grin and green eyes gleamed mischievously.

“What? No milk?”

Oh great. Cat jokes. Shawn rolled his eyes, but he needed the man

on his side so he let it slip. Besides, the jokes didn’t bug him
anymore.

“Nahh, not right now. My whiskers have been clean for months

now.” He winked at the man. “But I will keep in mind where I can
find some if I ever fall off the wagon.”

His answer, though not loud, helped relax the atmosphere in the

entire bar. A mug of tea appeared in front of him and he winced.

“Strawberry? Really?”
The bartender grinned wider. Shawn took his wallet out and slid a

fifty-euro bill over.

“What is a pretty cat like yourself doing in a place like this?”
“I’m looking for a coven.” A flash of understanding passed

through the bartender’s eyes, and if Shawn weren’t looking so closely
for it he would have missed it.

“You’re into monks? That’s just wrong.”
“Vampire coven. Maybe one that registered some commotion

lately?”

“Mind telling me what this is about?”
“They have my mate.”
The bartender’s eyes flew to his neck and he quirked an eyebrow

in question at the absence of the mating mark. Shawn pulled at his
collar to expose the small puncture scars.

“He’s a vampire,” he said a little defensively.
“Who’s a vampire?” If the bartender grinned any wider, the

corners of his lips would have reached his ears.

Patience, Shawn, patience. It’s a virtue. Remember that.
“My mate,” Shawn gritted out. He could stand being laughed at,

but his mate was off-limits.

“So your mate is a man and a vampire?” He’d raised his voice

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enough to make sure everybody in the bar heard him.

“Lucky me.” He could feel all the eyes in the place trained on him

once again. A jaguar could win against a lone wolf in the wild, but not
against a whole pack.

“And you want our help? Why would we help you?”
“I just want to know where to find him. Nothing more. I wouldn’t

ask any of you to stand by me.”

“Now you’re refusing our help?”
“I wasn’t aware you were offering.”
Patrons shifted behind him and a cute, young blonde took the seat

next to him. A tall glass of lemonade appeared swiftly in front of her.

“Hi.” Even her voice was sweet. “Don’t mind me, I’m just sitting

here.”

“Hi. Yeah. Thanks.” Shawn turned back to the bartender. “Listen.

Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name.”

“That’s because I haven’t given it to you. I’m Tommy.”
That cracked Shawn up. And gave him the chance to even things

up. “A wolf named Tommy. That is just too good to be true.”

The man behind the counter growled at him.
“So it’s okay for you to make fun of me, but I cannot say anything

about you?”

“That’s pretty much it.”
“In that case I promise to do it again. Often.”
The girl next to him chortled. “He got you there, Tommy.”
“Can you tell me if my mate is around here, or not?”
Tommy glanced at the girl, who turned to Shawn. “You didn’t

give us your name, stranger.”

“I’m Shawn.”
“You a stray?”
His reflex was to say no, but then remembered the way he’d

parted with family. “Yes.”

His answer threw the pretty girl offtrack and she stared at him for

the longest minute.

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“I’m Dana Zamfir.”
Shit! He’d heard about her. She was the local alpha and had

assured her position by challenging seven opponents by herself. How
could he not notice whom he was talking with? He tipped his head
and exposed his throat in submission, eyes averted to the floor.

“What do you want of us, cat?”
“My mate is missing. I was wondering if you noticed an increase

of activity among any of the local covens. New vampires, a wizard
maybe.”

She sniffed at him. “You are not bonded.”
“No. It all happened rather fast. But bonded or not, he is my

mate.”

“Fair enough. I like your honesty.” She exchanged another glance

with the bartender before speaking again. “We only have one coven
here. The master is Jacques De Nemours. He is old and mean. As for
your mate, he might be here. I did notice some power changes in the
area lately. Nothing major, but noticeable. And there is at least one
member of the Council in residence.”

“Crap!”
“You can say that again.”
“Can you tell me where I can find them?”
“You sure about this? Getting inside a coven is no small feat.

Getting out alive is even harder.”

“I’m sure.”
She regarded him pensively as if to judge his determination before

continuing.

“Very well. The vampire residence is located in an old castle up

on the mountain. It’s not big, but it’s in a strategic spot, so getting in
or even close it’s not going to be easy. The place is far away from any
mountain trails and almost unknown but for some of the locals, so
they don’t get many visitors.”

“Does it have a name?”
“It used to, but it’s long forgotten. Now it’s referred to as The

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Castle. It doesn’t need any anyway. Not many people know of its
existence. And the local master goes to great lengths to keep it that
way.”

“Can you perhaps point me in the right direction? There have to

be hundreds of paths leaving from here.”

“I can do one better. I can take you to the path myself. After that,

you’re on your own.”

His mind screamed trap! but what would be the point? He was a

lone feline in a bar full of werewolves. If she wanted him dead, there
wasn’t be a point to setting him up.

“Thank you. But why would you do that for me?”
She looked him in his eyes and smiled like she knew a secret

Shawn wasn’t aware of.

“Let’s just say I like you.”
“Uhm. Thank you?”
“And because I like you I’ll tell you that the entire Council is

expected for a visit tonight. They never travel light, so I’m assuming
they’ll have a big delegation with them. You still want to do this?”

“Yes.”
“Then let’s go.”
She took out her wallet and dug for money. Shawn covered her

hand with his, but when he realized what he did he jerked it back
hastily. She regarded him quizzically.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I just wanted to say that

your drink is on me.”

“If I’d have been offended by your touch, you’d have been

bleeding to death right now.”

Though her voice was sweet and soft, he didn’t doubt her one bit.

He dug out a twenty-euro bill and pushed it over to Tommy. “Thank
you. Keep the change.” He hurried after the pretty little blonde that
could easily rip his head off with her bare hands.

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Chapter 6

Raven had brought more blood, both bagged and straight from the

source. The only blood he hadn’t offered was his own. Though from
the scent coming off him, Valentin wouldn’t even think of going
anywhere near the wizard.

He’d tried forcing information out of Valentin, but his rapidly

deteriorating health put a stop to everything. Finally they had to move
him from the armchair to a cot in the corner. His head kept lolling
around, and he was so weak he couldn’t stand up on his own. He lay
there completely oblivious to the level of anxiety the caster was
exhibiting, his pain gone and mind drifting back to Shawn. All he
wanted was to get to him. To be in his arms once more. He knew now
the answer to the therian’s question. He would gladly spend an
eternity with Shawn, only that wasn’t an option anymore.

* * * *

The wizard frowned at the soon-to-be-dead vampire. He didn’t

know what else to do. And though the fledgling meant nothing to him,
in the great scheme of the world he still had his uses. Valentin’s head
rolled once more on the cot and he made a retching sound, but he was
too weak for his body to follow suit. There was nothing left in his
stomach to puke, anyway.

He walked out to the door and motioned the guards inside. “Keep

your eyes on him and call me if anything changes.”

Knowing his orders would be followed to the letter he strolled out

looking for De Nemours. After all, he was the master there and he

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was the only one to whom Raven owed anything.

Finding the lord was easy enough. He just had to leave his powers

to wander around until they located his target.

The caster knocked at the office door and swung it open without

waiting for an answer.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I need to have a word with you.”
De Nemours’s eyes flew to the elder sitting across from him. “Can

it wait?”

Raven caught his meaning and backed down.
“Of course. It was just a personal problem. I’m sorry for the

intrusion.” He looked his master in the eyes, trying to convey some of
his worry.

“I’ll come looking for you once I’m done here.”
Raven retreated, closing the door behind him. What am I supposed

to do now? I can’t believe I worry over a no-good newborn. And I’ll
be blamed if he dies, the useless piece of shit.

The vampires he passed in the hallway hastily moved out of his

way, some out of respect, some out of fear, but he ignored them all.
He strolled into the library, easily the biggest room in the place, and
sought his personal collection. He perused the titles, his fingers
trailing over the hard spines. He found the one he was looking for and
took it with him to the table. The tome was leather bound, cracked
from use and old age, written in long-forgotten tongues.

That’s how De Nemours found him. Bent over the book muttering

to himself, a look of complete annoyance plastered to his face.

“What’s wrong?”
Raven lifted his eyes and glared at the lord. “He is dying.”
“The fledgling?”
“Yes,” Raven snapped at the master like he was holding him

personally responsible for the setback.

“Why?”
“I still don’t know. And there is nothing here.” He snapped the

book shut and pushed away the offending object.

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177

“What did you do? You have to have done something.”
“So now it’s my fault? Just so you know, I haven’t. Nothing I did

was supposed to permanently damage him, it was mostly an illusion
of pain. His reactions are similar to those induced by the serum we
administrated to Yuri Sergheev.”

“So it is your fault.”
“No. I never gave him any of that, and there’s no way he’d had

access to any of it. He hasn’t left the cell since I brought him here,
and there wasn’t any other place where he could have gotten it.”

“How much time has he left?”
“Not much.”
“Will he make it through the night?”
“Unlikely.”
“Does he know anything about the stone?”
“No.”
“So it was for nothing?” He didn’t seem to expect an answer.

“Very well. Let him die. I don’t have time to waste on him. And don’t
let anyone know about him.”

The wizard shuddered one shoulder and pushed the book farther

away. “As you wish.”

He watched the master leave the room and shook his head. Who

could understand what was going on in the man’s head? He’d already
told his master the fledgling knew nothing, and yet he stubbornly sent
his team out to retrieve him, just to discard him now. Nothing more
than a waste of time.

Raven glanced at the book again. He would have loved to know

what was wrong with the skinny bloodsucker.

* * * *

Dana had kept her word and led Shawn to the steps of a half-

hidden trail.

“I will ask you again. You sure you want to do this?”

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“He’s my mate.” And that said it all.
She regarded him pensively for a second. “In that case I wish you

luck.”

“Thank you.”
“See that corner there?” She pointed to the face of the mountain,

to where sharp edges poking from between the trees were forming a
pattern regular enough that it could only be handmade. “That’s where
you want to go. Remember the Council is coming tonight. Try to get
out of there before their arrival.”

“I’ll give it my best.”
“If you live through the night, come, look for me. I would love to

hear the story.”

She turned on her heels and left without a second glance. Shawn’s

eyes flew back at the small portion of the castle visible to him and he
pursed his lips. He had to give the architect credit. If he didn’t already
know there was a castle there, he might not have noticed it. The
trickiest part would be to get close unnoticed. He took out the piece of
cloth ripped from the vampire’s sweater and held it tight. The fabric
pulsed and twitched in his hand, signaling Valentin’s presence nearby.
So Dana had steered him well. He would have to remember to thank
her later.

He opened up to their connection, trying to feel his lover, and his

knees almost gave. Valentin was sick, his life force weak, mind
drifting on and off, thoughts broken and incoherent. Hold on, baby,
I’m coming! Just hold on a little longer. Shawn squeezed the cloth
with white knuckles, nails digging into his palm, trying to give his
mate some of his strength, praying he’d get there in time.

He started the difficult climb, holding on to his only link to his

mate. With each step it grew stronger, and for once Shawn allowed
himself to hope.

He watched the sun reaching its zenith and reveled in all the

bright shades lighting up the sky. The first scent of vampire reached
his nostrils just as the sun disappeared under the horizon, leaving the

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179

world at the mercy of the night. Perfect timing.

He’d made it this far. But there still was the small matter of

getting in in one piece. He couldn’t help his lover if he got himself
killed. The fabric jumped in his hand, and he knew he’d found his
answer. He rubbed the cloth over his exposed skin, impregnating
himself with the scent of his mate. The piece of fabric was small and
Valentin’s smell it retained within had faded almost completely, so
Shawn didn’t have much hope about the success of the experiment,
but the harder he rubbed the stronger the scent got.

He crept closer until he could see the outer wall, using every tree

and boulder to mask his presence. There weren’t any guards in sight
and he instantly became suspicious. His ears strained to pick out even
the faintest sound and he sniffed the air.

He reached the wall and rested his hand against it. It was made

from river rock and its color matched perfectly the one of the
mountain. Shawn ran his fingers over the surface to admire the work
the stone-layers did. There wasn’t any glue or cement holding it
together, each of them fitting perfectly with the others.

He crept along the wall, searching for the best spot to jump over

it. A twig snapped under his foot and he froze. Even his heart stopped.
Steps sounded above him and someone sniffed the air.

“Damn animals.”
The steps walked away and Shawn released the breath he didn’t

realize he was holding. A few more meters to the side brought him to
the perfect climbing spot. Some of the stones were loosened and
created a crease big enough to support his foot. One powerful swing
and he was on top of the wall. He leaned in, resting his entire upper
body on the edge, offering the smallest target possible to the keen
vampire eyes in case any of them happened to glance his way, and
rolled over after only a second of judging the distance to the ground.
He landed gracefully, like any respectable cat should, with only the
faintest thump.

He’d considered going in as a jaguar, but he’d rather not be stark-

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naked in front of the leader and his cohort when he’d claim his mate.
He’d keep that as a last resort. From the shelter of the wall he
examined the area. Except for the one vampire near the entrance gate
who had come to investigate earlier, there were no other guards.

A coven waiting for a visit from the Council and it has no

security? Are they so sure of themselves, or have they been warned
about my arrival, and am I walking into a trap? Has Andrei betrayed
him? Or has Dana?

* * * *

The cell phone on Jacques De Nemours’s desk rang. Three words

sounded in his ear before the line went dead. He turned toward his
second-in-command, a tall man with extremely broad shoulders.

“They’ll be here in fifteen minutes.”
“Everything is ready. The donors are waiting and the musicians

are setting up their instruments as we speak. With your permission I
will go make sure everything is as it should be.”

“Very well.”
Adelmann joined De Nemours just as François exited the room.
“Good. Any news on our guest?”
“Not that I know of, but I can go check if you like.”
“Nah, he is not important. No one will connect us with the

Sergheev coven’s annihilation.”

As they talked, their steps carried them to the grand hall, where, as

expected, the musicians had finished setting up their instruments on
the newly installed stage and were tuning them. The room was
beautifully decorated, the most expensive antiques spread wisely to
create small islands across the floor. Walls covered in a thin, gold
paper and a ceiling bordered with hand-carved woodwork completed
the picture.

The air stirred.
“They’re here.”

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181

They strolled to the grand doors and swung them open just as the

first limo pulled in the driveway.

De Nemours and Wilhelm Adelmann waited on the highest step of

the stairs to welcome the guests, with François at De Nemours’s right,
one step behind. The limousine rolled to a stop and Jacques gestured
to one of the youngest residents of his coven to get the door for the
most important member of the Council.

* * * *

The party was in full swing. Powerful vampires glided across the

floor alone or in pairs, some dancing, some mingling, but most of
them discussing what they knew better. Politics. There were over two
hundred guests, as each council member or lord had brought at least
ten men as an escort.

“Lovely party, De Nemours.” Charles Beauviers, count of Nevers,

the Head of the Council, and one of the oldest vampires there
approached him.

“Thank you, your lordship. It’s an honor having you here.” De

Nemours kept his true thoughts in check, his hatred wrapped tightly
inside of him. He’d learned to hide his thoughts from the elders, but
bastards like Beauviers had ways of finding out the truth and one
could never be too careful.

“I’ve always liked a good party.”
Jacques studied the man who could have his and his men’s heads

on a silver platter with a simple gesture. He didn’t seem frightening.
His features were unremarkably common, brown hair, strong jaw and
straight nose. Medium weight, medium height. Nothing noteworthy
about him. An untrained eye wouldn’t be able to tell just how
powerful the man really was. No newbie could’ve have been the Head
of the Council for as long as he had. He knew all the tricks, intrigues,
and power games, but he was unpredictable, which made him a
dangerous opponent.

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“I’m happy I could be of assistance.”
“Though I have to say, I’m kind of surprised you decided to throw

this party after what happened with the Sergheev coven. I couldn’t
help but notice the lack of the guards your property is exhibiting.”

“It’s a fortress. It survived for hundreds of years, it will survive a

few more.”

Beauviers regarded him with cold eyes. “Careful, or some might

think you had something to do with the massacre back in Russia.”

“What…? How..? No..?” De Nemours stuttered. Was Charles

suspecting something?

“Rumor has it you have a wizard at your command.” Jacques

gaped at the elder. I’ve been betrayed. His mind reeled, trying to find
the culprit. “Nothing more than gossip, I’m sure.”

It was clearly a warning. No mistaking the tone or the gleaming in

those cold, black eyes. The hairs on the back of De Nemours’s neck
prickled.

“In a thousand or so years one tends to gather lots of enemies.

And our kind tends to gossip worse than old spinsters at church.”

“True.” The quick dismissal seemed even more dangerous. “But

usually if one knows one has enemies, one might try to protect
oneself. Guards might be a good start. Unless one has different means
of protection. Like a wizard. Or maybe one’s not afraid because one
knows there’s nothing for oneself to worry about.”

Oh shit! So that’s why he accepted my invitation. To spy on me.

He’d better not wander around and find my little guest. And Raven.
He knows better than to show himself. Or else!

Finally! Two of his vampires entered the room wheeling in large

carts filled with bagged blood, and De Nemours took advantage of the
fact to escape Beauviers. He walked up to the stage, waved up at the
musicians to dismiss them, and clapped his hands to command
everyone’s attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served. I took the liberty of

bringing young ladies and men for your pleasure. Feel free to take

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183

your pick.”

The crowd stirred as the donors started mingling.

* * * *

Shawn watched the guests arriving from his hidden place in a dark

corner of the garden. He watched through half-lidded eyes, careful not
to let his presence be known, measuring each of them as a potential
opponent.

The last of the guests had disappeared behind heavy oak doors,

the limos had finally been parked, and a single vampire took up
guarding duty near the entrance. Only then did Shawn move. He crept
up to the back of the building, hoping for a way in. There were trees
of all sizes, and few of them were close enough to the wall to
facilitate his entrance. He circled around them until he settled on one.
A big trunk, at least thirty centimeters in diameter, with big enough
branches to hold him.

Climbing up a tree came to him naturally, and not even the three-

meter gap was much of a challenge. He lunged from one of the lower
branches and landed gracefully, though a bit noisily, on a first-floor
balcony. Hopefully the noise would be masked by the music coming
out from inside the house.

He plastered his ear against the windowsill, listening carefully,

and decided it was safe to proceed. A small push had the window
open and he crept inside, his senses alert. Once again he marveled at
the lack of guards as he crept down the hallway searching for the
party.

* * * *

De Nemours had his fangs deeply embedded in the soft flesh of

the throat of a feisty brunette and his hand buried under her skirt. She
moaned in pleasure and the sound reverberated in his mouth. He tore

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open his pants, buttons flying. She was warm and pliant, and he
craved the pleasure her body would provide. He shoved his hands
under her skirt again and ripped her panties away. He pushed her
against the nearest wall, fangs still embedded in her neck. She tasted
pleasant enough, not too sour and not too sweet either. She was just a
means to quench his thirst, nothing worth remembering a month from
now.

* * * *

The door opened. The vampire on guard flew through the air,

landed hard on the floor, and skidded to a stop at Charles Beauviers’s
feet. The lord locked eyes with the exotic looking man standing in the
doorway. Dark hair, gray-green eyes, smelling like a vampire with an
underlay of earth and forest. Shifter. And judging from his posture
and the confidence exuding from him he was an alpha. Charles
smirked. This was going to be interesting.

One by one the vampires filling the great hall ceased whatever

they were doing and stared at the stranger. The girl under Jacques De
Nemours picked up the change in the room and tried to wiggle herself
free. The vampire snarled through clenched teeth and tore at the
tender flesh under his mouth.

Beauviers cleared his throat. The silence finally registered into De

Nemours’s brain and he swirled around, snarling.

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185

Chapter 7

Shawn locked eyes with the only vampire in the room aware of

his arrival. He looked plain, somehow geeky, despite the perfectly
tailored suit he was wearing. Yet, there was something impressive
about him. The bloodsucker smirked and the shifter’s eyebrows shot
to the sky before he managed to school his face into a mask of pure
boredom.

He dared taking his eyes away from the vampire and glanced

around. The sight socked him. Hundreds of vampires in different
states of undress were writhing on the floor or against the walls,
feeding or fucking in what it seemed to be a full-blown orgy. As if on
cue they started taking notice and disentangled from each other. All
but one.

The first vampire cleared his throat and Shawn’s eyes flew back to

him. Finally the last of the bloodsuckers picked up on the atmosphere
and turned away from the woman he was fucking, fangs bared and
blood dripping.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Am I intruding?” He didn’t sound sorry at all. He

sounded smug and challenging and very sure of himself.

* * * *

“My dear De Nemours, how thoughtful of you to organize a hunt

for us. You shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble. Really.” The
unremarkable vampire turned mockingly to the snarling one, sarcasm
heavy in his voice.

“What? My lord, I…”

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“I’m not here as prey, if it’s all the same with you.”
“Why are you here then, therian?”
Whispers sounded all around the room and the crowd shifted

menacingly toward him. How did he know? And most importantly,
why is he not at my throat yet?

“Kill him.” The vampire called De Nemours barked the order. The

crowd took a step forward. Shawn braced himself for the fight that
was sure to follow.

“Wait.” The counterorder was given in a much softer tone and it

was obeyed immediately. So the unremarkable man held some power
in those circles.

At the same time easy steps reverberated through the hallway

behind him. Fuck. I’m screwed. Like it made much difference if he’d
have to face two hundred fifty vampires instead of just two hundred.

His survivor instincts kicked in and he shifted so his back was

pressed against the opened wooden door. The clean scents of forest
and earth and freedom assaulted his nostrils and he turned around,
startled. One by one, werewolves entered the grand hall and lined up
behind him. His friend Andrei, the cute but lethal Dana, and many
others. Andrei winked at him and addressed Beauviers.

“Good evening, my lords. I couldn’t help myself noticing the

complete lack of security this place is exhibiting.”

Smiles spread across some of the bloodsuckers’ faces, as if they

found a joke particularly funny.

“This is becoming more interesting by the minute.”
Andrei bowed his head graciously as De Nemours snarled. The

master didn’t seem to be enjoying the show as much as Beauviers did.

“We apologize for interrupting your party. We are here for our

friend.” He gestured in Shawn’s direction. “So if you’ll be kind
enough to hear him out, we will be on our way.”

The lord turned to the jaguar, motioning him to speak.
“I’m here for my mate.”
“There are no therians here, kitten.” The elder waved his hand

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187

around to point at the entire audience. “Except for your friends, of
course.” A few vampires snickered behind his back.

De Nemours seemed to be at a loss of words, staring open

mouthed at the werewolves filling his hallway.

“I don’t remember saying that my mate is a shape-shifter.”
“Human?”
“Vampire.”
“Whoever your mate is, she isn’t here.”
“I can see that. So if you don’t mind, you can send for my mate

and we will be on our way.”

“Send? Send where? And why would I want to do that?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” De Nemours screamed, his

tone covering almost completely the lord’s words.

“About Valentin, the vampire you snagged from me three days

ago. Or your wizard did, to be more specific.”

“You lie!” The vampire’s eyes darted around frantically.
Shawn glanced at the lord and the thoughtful expression he found

there told him the man was not surprised by what he was hearing. He
seemed to be more powerful than De Nemours and Shawn decided to
address him.

“Do I strike you as suicidal? Why would I crash a bloodsucker’s

party if I didn’t have good reason to? Besides, don’t you have means
to know if one’s lying?”

“We do.” Invisible feathers brushed against Shawn’s skin and tiny

fingers probed his mind, the touch not at all unpleasant. He stared
challengingly at the lord, guessing correctly that he was the one doing
it.

Seconds later, the probing ceased and the elder nodded. “He

speaks the truth.”

De Nemours jumped forward and growled.
“You come into my house and accuse me of harboring a wizard?

Don’t you know it’s against the law?”

Shawn smiled serenely at him.

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“I could care less for that. For all I care you could have an entire

army of wizards. I just want my mate.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” De Nemours seemed to

have gathered himself, and from the tone of his voice no one could
have guessed the level of anxiety he was feeling. Shawn sniffed the
air. The vampire was afraid of something. Really afraid. The lord, on
the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying the show. Maybe if Shawn
played his cards right he’d walk out of there still wearing his
whiskers.

“I think you do.” He leaned to the side and rested his shoulder

against the door, crossing his arms over his chest, placing his weight
on one leg, the perfect picture of a relaxed, carefree man, something
that he was far from feeling.

“You will die for this.” De Nemours snarled and lunged.
Beauviers grabbed him midair and settled him back on his feet.

Shawn didn’t do as much as flinch.

“You have any proof of this, therian?”
Shawn dug into his pocket, came up with the torn piece of

sweater, and held it up for everyone to see.

“You call that proof? It’s just a cloth.”
“It’s all that was left behind after your boys left with my mate. It’s

soaked in Valentin’s blood. And they were your boys. I can smell
them all over this place.” Though knowing he shouldn’t, he couldn’t
stop himself from baiting De Nemours a little. “Gotta say, your caster
did a fabulous job with the snowstorm. If you want to rent out his
services, I’m sure he would make you a ton of money.”

Shawn tensed, waiting for the explosion. Jacques snarled again,

but before he managed to go for the therian’s throat the elder grabbed
him by the scruff and held him tight.

“Not so fast. Give the man a chance to prove his words. If he’s

lying, he will pay for it. If not…” He left the rest hanging, but
everyone in the room could fill in the blanks. If the shifter wasn’t
lying, De Nemours would pay. Dearly.

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189

“You cannot trust him. He is a therian. He doesn’t deserve to live.

His kind should be wiped from the face of the world.”

“I just want my mate back.” Shawn shed all appearances of

relaxation and stood with his fists clenched at his sides, his whole
body tensed and ready.

“Die!” De Nemours pulled himself free from the elder’s grip and

flung himself at the therian. Shawn met him full-on.

The vampire went for the shifter’s throat with claws and teeth.

Shawn settled for dodging each attack, the two of them dancing
around each other. He would have loved nothing more than to tear the
bloodsucker to pieces, especially when he was the reason Valentin
was missing, but he knew he had to pace himself. De Nemours’s
death could have been the spark that reignited the long-lasting conflict
between their species, and it wouldn’t serve Shawn’s purpose.

De Nemours’s attack was vicious, twice as powerful as any of the

previous ones, and it became obvious that the man was a skilled
fighter. His movements were a blur of speed and, despite his quick
reflexes, Shawn had trouble keeping up.

He wanted to shift, he needed it, the beast inside raging to be set

free, but the vampire was too close and in the few seconds it would
take for the transformation to occur, the bloodsucker would have the
perfect opportunity to take Shawn down. Talons raked across the
therian’s chest so fast he didn’t even see them and the scent of his
blood filled the room.

The air exploded between them and the force of it threw both

opponents backward. Shawn fell to one knee, breathing hard. The
vampire lay on the floor, convulsing. Beauviers stepped between
them, not smiling anymore.

“Interesting show of power, but this is not what you are here for. I

should let my men deal with you. They would have a blast. But you
have some balls, I’ll give you that. If you can convince me your mate
is here and that you can keep him, you can have him. If not, you are
not walking out of here alive.”

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“Keep him? I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”
“You didn’t think it was going to be that easy, did you? You will

have to find him. And when you do, you will have to earn the right to
claim him as yours. And none of your friends here can help you.”

“So it’s my life for his.”
“No. It’s both of your lives or neither. You still want to do this? If

not, you go now and we will forget it ever happened. But if you
choose to stay, your decision is final, and you forfeit any right to
change your mind later. So what is it gonna be, kitten?”

Shawn was starting to get uncomfortable. He’d come in without

any expectation. He’d known he’d have to fight. But this sounded
more like trials. He’d been measured his whole life, sometimes he
was found worthy and sometimes not, but this would be the most
important test of all.

“I stay. May I ask you a question, my lord?” The elder wasn’t his

leader, but it didn’t hurt to show the man the respect his age and rank
deserved.

The vampire regarded him with shrewd eyes before agreeing.

“You may. I will reserve the right to answer or not. But be careful
what you choose to ask. Some questions are more dangerous than
others. And for each question you ask, I will get to ask two of you.”

The vampire could ask anything he wanted and the therian could

do nothing else but answer. The elder seemed to be fair, but in
Shawn’s mind the jury was still out.

“Why do you allow me the chance to get my mate?”
The elder chose his answer carefully, and Shawn knew he wasn’t

getting the full truth.

“Because true mates are rare and the bond between them is sacred

to my kind. Isn’t it the same in your world?”

“It is. But there are a few alphas that don’t see it this way.”
“I can see why that is. Now, show me that cloth you have.”
Reluctantly, Shawn handed the fabric over to the lord. The

vampire noticed his hesitation and smiled.

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191

“No worries. You will have it back.”
He closed his fist over it and magic shimmered across his skin, but

nothing showed on his face. The elder shook his head and handed the
fabric back to the shifter.

“You say that your mate is somewhere here in the castle?”
Did he know something Shawn didn’t?
“This is where my link with my mate brought me.”
“But you are not bonded.” It wasn’t a question.
“If you mean that I haven’t claimed him as mine, then you are

right.” The crowd stirred and whispered among themselves, some of
them shooting distrustful looks at Shawn. “But that doesn’t make him
my mate any less.”

“Any particular reason you haven’t done so yet?”
“I only met him about a week ago. We were on the run and he was

sick. There never seemed to be time for it.” That was his story and he
was sticking by it.

The vampire’s poker face fell. “Sick?”
“Yeah. He was puking and losing conscience and having

headaches all the time. I think he was getting better though.” The last
words were unsure, reflecting his confusion.

The elder, however, didn’t seem to have the same problem. “Did

he feed from you?”

“Yeah. Several times. Why?”
The lord waved the question away.
“Just curious.” Shawn frowned and sniffed the air as

inconspicuously as possible. The vampire was lying and the therian
quirked an eyebrow to call him on it. The lord smirked at him.

“Using that link of yours, can you find your mate if he’s anywhere

here in the castle?”

“I believe so.”
“Show me.”
Shawn nodded and closed his eyes. He tuned out everything else

and focused on the cloth in his hand. It pulsed and jerked and called

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out to him. He was close, he knew it.

“He is here. In the basement. On the southeast corner. He is in

pain.”

“So if I send my men down there they will come back with your

mate?”

“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
Shawn’s heart skipped a beat. Was the bloodsucker taking his

offer back?

“I’m sure.”
“Very well.” He motioned two of his vampires forth, both tall,

dark, broad–shouldered, and strong. “You’ve heard him. Take five
men with you and search the southeast corner of the dungeons. If you
find a man named…” He turned over to Shawn, addressing to him his
next words. “What is your mate’s name?”

“Valentin Alekseev. Dark-blond hair, dark eyes, pale, and very

skinny.”

“Go down there, and if you find him, bring him here. I want to

hear from him the whole story.”

“You have no right.” De Nemours, who had recovered and

climbed to his feet, stepped forward. “It is my coven. You have no
right here.”

Beauviers’s eyes gleamed dangerously. The men he’d sent

downstairs paused before reaching the door and waited for a
clarification.

“You’ve heard me. Go and bring him to me if you can find him.”
“You can’t!” De Nemours screamed. “I’m the lord here. You have

no authority.”

“I’m the Head of the Council. I have all the authority I need. You

have nothing to hide down there, do you?”

The vampire swallowed audibly. “Of course not.”
“Then you have nothing to fear.”
Shawn rolled his shoulders, trying to release some of the tension

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193

gathered in his muscles, but it didn’t help much. His ears strained to
pick out anything from below, and his fist clenched convulsively
around the fabric in his hand. Minutes crept in an incredible slowness
and the silence in the room became deafening. There was no love for
him in there, not that he was expecting any. But the surprise came
from the hostility they showed to De Nemours, one of their own kind.

The therian glanced at Beauviers and found him listening intently.

He commanded the respect of everyone in the room by his mere
presence. The men he’d sent downstairs obeyed him out of love, not
fear. If he weren’t paying such a close attention to the elder, Shawn
could have missed the way he tensed, nostrils flaring. The cloth in his
hand jerked. Something was happening.

Beauviers pinned him with shrewd eyes.
“Turns out you were right, kitten.”
Shawn couldn’t talk. His mouth felt dry and his heart rose to his

throat. Silence fell and stretched out. Shawn could feel the support of
the werewolves lined up behind him and it humbled him, making him
long for a pride of his own.

He couldn’t say how long he stood, eyes locked with the vampire,

but he could recall each beat of his heart as it tried to pound its way
out of his chest.

De Nemours looked shaken.
Steps reverberated in the hallway and Shawn held his breath. The

two vampires sent searching entered the hall, dragging between them
one of the men he’d faced in the clearing, followed closely by the five
ones that were sent as reinforcements. There were fresh cuts and
bruises on their faces and bodies, evidence of the struggle that had
been going on in the dungeons. The procession closed in and the
guests shifted ranks to allow passage. The scent hit Shawn and he
narrowed his eyes, regarding all the bloodsuckers in the room.
Somewhere in there, there were those two that had slaughtered
Valentin’s coven and ransacked his room. He’d recognize their scent
everywhere.

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The procession passed by him, and Shawn could have sworn he’d

seen worried glanced being thrown his way.

What is going on? Where is Valentin? Oh my God, is he dead?
They stopped in front of Beauviers and one of the men spoke. He

was swaying on his feet, his eyes carrying a dazed expression.

“I’m sorry, my lord, but the wizard escaped. We tried to capture

him but he vanished.”

The elder nodded and touched the man’s forehead, whispering a

few words. The air around them crackled and whatever spell the
bloodsucker was under broke, his eyes clearing.

One of the vampires broke from the group and only then the

burden he was carrying became visible. The man stepped forth and
presented his load to the lord.

Cuddled in the bloodsucker’s arms there was an extremely skinny

man, almost a corpse. His complexion, pale to begin with, was ashen.
Oh God, Valentin. From where he stood, Shawn could hear no heart
beat, no breathing.

The therian let out a strangled cry and took a couple of hesitant

steps toward them. At once two vampires cut off his path, not
touching him but making sure he couldn’t get closer to the elder.

“Please, oh God, I want to see him. Please, let me get to him. “
The vampires didn’t budge an inch.
“Please. I need to see him.”
“Let him through.” Before the soft order was fully out, the

vampires slid to the side, allowing Shawn to pass. He rushed forward,
wanting to pull his mate away from the man, to tear the vampire apart
from limb to limb for touching Valentin, but he did none of that. He
placed his hands gently under his lover’s body and lifted him easily
into his arms. Valentin weighed almost nothing. Dirty-blond strands
were glued to his forehead and his eyes rolled back in his head.

Shawn dropped to his knees, careful not to shake his precious

burden too badly, and cradled him to his chest. He brushed the strands
away from Valentin’s face and his vision blurred with tears.

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195

“Oh, baby. I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.”
Shawn kissed the vampire’s forehead, his eyelids, tears pouring

down his cheeks. He wasn’t ashamed of crying, completely unaware
of his audience. He kept whispering apologies mixed with
endearments and placing random kisses across Valentin’s face. He
brushed his lips against his mate’s and froze. The gentlest of breezes
had touched his skin.

Shawn pulled away and held the vampire at arm’s length. His

breathing was so shallow his chest was barely moving.

“He’s alive. Heavens, he’s alive. Somebody help me.” He looked

up. He’d beg if he’d have to.

The lord stepped closer and pressed his palm against Valentin’s

forehead. Shawn snarled possessively. Immediately strong fingers
grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back. The therian jerked and
tried to shrug off the offending hands without breaking hold of his
mate. The elder didn’t even flinch.

“Leave him be. He’s just protecting his mate.”
Magic simmered under the elder’s skin and Shawn could feel it

sizzling all the way through Valentin’s clothes. Or what was left of
them.

“What are you doing? Leave him alone. He’s hurting.”
“Hush, kitten. I’m not trying to hurt him.”
Valentin’s skin glowed under Beauviers’s hands and he moaned,

stirring.

“Tell me what to do. I need to do something.” His plea went

unheard and Shawn settled for holding his mate close, whispering soft
pleas in his ear.

Minutes after, minutes that felt like centuries for Shawn, the elder

withdrew his hand and spoke again, his voice holding just the faintest
strain.

“You should feed him.”
From behind them someone snorted.
“Yeah, good luck with that.” De Nemours had fully recovered and

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stood ten steps behind the elder, mocking.

“You have something to add, De Nemours?”
“No, my lord. Nothing at all.” Shawn ignored him and rolled up

his left sleeve, willing his fangs to descend. “It’s just that, whatever
blood we tried to feed him seemed to make him worse. But hey, give
it a go. I’m sure he has one more good puke left in him.”

The shifter roared at the insult and paused with his arm halfway to

his mouth.

“He dies, you die. Slowly and painfully. Remember that.”
“So the tabby has teeth, huh?”
“You are one step away from finding out how sharp my teeth are.”
Valentin’s breath hitched. Shawn looked up frantically at the

elder, asking advice with his eyes. Beauviers shrugged.

“Feed him. If he is your mate, he’ll live. “
“That’s bullshit.” De Nemours snorted.
The therian sank his canines into his own wrist and held out his

hand to Valentin’s lips. Blood gushed and few drops dribbled inside
the vampire’s mouth. For long seconds nothing happened, and then a
pink tongue peeked out and licked at the hot liquid.

“That’s it baby. Drink.” He pressed his wrist over his mate’s

mouth. Valentin’s lips closed over the wound and he sucked. There
wasn’t much strength behind it, but it meant that his lover was still
alive, and it was all that mattered for Shawn.

The wound started to close and Valentin chewed at it. The bite

was unskilled, like a cub’s, and the shifter winced in pain. The
vampire drank his fill, which wasn’t much at all, and his hold
loosened. He choked.

“See? What did I say?” De Nemours was annoyed, rolling his

eyes and making faces, like he couldn’t understand how anyone could
not pay attention to him.

Shawn placed his mate gently on the floor and turned his head to

the side so he wouldn’t choke if his stomach indeed wouldn’t handle
the blood. Beauviers smirked and got out of the way.

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197

“Have at it.”
Shawn’s jaguar exploded, pieces of clothing flying through the

air. Without a sound, he flung himself at De Nemours. The vampire
dodged, but not fast enough, and the feline bit his shoulder, cutting to
the bone. The bloodsucker fell onto his back and the jaguar landed on
all fours on his chest. The canines slid free, taking with them a whole
chunk of flesh, and Shawn went for the jugular.

The guests protested, some of them screamed and some struggled

to get closer, getting ready to strike. It didn’t matter any longer if they
liked De Nemours or not. He was a vampire and had just been
attacked by a therian. The werewolves reacted in kind, closing ranks,
struggling to keep themselves under control. Some of the younger
shifters whimpered with the need to change, yet the alphas kept them
firmly in hand and no one dared attack without orders.

The vampires snarled and growled and drew closer. Beauviers

lifted his hand and everyone froze in their place.

“It’s his right.”
The vampire foresaw the move and his claws met the jaguar’s

muzzle. The jaws snapped closed loudly as a talon pierced the soft
whiskers under the chin. Shawn yelped. De Nemours saw an
opportunity and aimed his fangs at the jaguar’s throat. Their sharp
points glistered on the shiny fur and sank under his shoulder. The cat
tensed and tried to pull free. Using it as leverage, the vampire swung
them both until he was on top. One of Shawn’s front paws raked
against his skin and he followed its move, catching it and snapping it
like a twig. A high pitched yowl filled the room as soon as the pain
registered in the cat’s mind.

The jaguar tensed and tried to throw its burden away. The vampire

saw it coming and shifted on top of Shawn. It became clear to Shawn
he wasn’t anywhere close the vampire’s class. His only chance was to
move fast, so he bared his throat a little to entice his opponent and
brought up his hind legs, aiming for the soft flesh on the
bloodsucker’s belly, in the same move that had helped him escape

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Theodore. De Nemours misunderstood his intentions and shifted to
accommodate him. The vampire realized his mistake half of a second
too late and brought his hands down to protect his stomach. The
jaguar’s claws cut right through clothes, skin, and guts. The
bloodsucker screamed. Blood gushed and the vampire dropped his
guard. Shawn’s jaws closed around the jugular and tore it open.

De Nemours went slack atop him and the jaguar pushed him away

with its paws. It jumped to its feet and shifted back to human form.
He stood motionless for a moment, wild-eyed, getting himself under
control.

The ragged breath coming from his mate drew Shawn’s attention.

The therian locked eyes with the lord, silently asking for permission.
At Beauviers’s nod he rushed over to Valentin.

His mate looked to be a little better. Still pale, the softest pink

colored his cheeks and his heart beat stronger. Shawn ran his fingers
over the side of his lover’s face and Valentin stirred under the touch.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Come back to me. I need you with me.”

Shawn cooed softly at his mate.

“You came for me.”
“Of course I did.”
The vampires, whom at Shawn’s victory over De Nemours had

shown obvious signs of aggression, exchanged confused glances with
each other.

Andrei stepped forward and addressed Beauviers.
“If I may, my lord. I think that proves sufficiently enough that

Valentin is indeed his mate. Or, in this case, Shawn is his.”

The therian stared at his friend in confusion. What was all that

about?

“It does.”
It did?
“Do you consider he has kept his end?” End of what? Have I lost

my understanding of English or has everyone started talking in
tongues?

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199

“I do.”
“In that case, we will take Valentin and leave you to your own.”
“In a moment.”
“You backing out on your deal?”
Is that a threat I’m hearing in Andrei’s voice? Is he crazy?
Apparently the vampires around them had the same opinion, as

they frowned, scowled, growled, sneered, and everything in between.

“Don’t get you hackles up, wolfie. I’m not backing out on

anything.” Beauviers had just been insulted and yet he acted like the
words had just washed off of him without touching him. “I just want
to have a word with the little fledgling there.”

“No!”
“Oh?”
“Shawn, shut the fuck up.”
The jaguar turned to his friend. “What? He is not getting

anywhere near my mate.”

“You do realize that he is standing right next to you.”
Shawn flushed. “I’m sorry, my lord.”
Beauviers grinned and waved away his apology. “I just want to

ask him a few questions. That’s all. You could try feeding him again.”
The shifter hesitated. “Or I could use some magic to wake him up.”

“No, I got it.”
“I can see that.” Shawn had already opened up his wrist and had it

shoved under his mate’s nose.

Valentin fed longer this time, and each pull of his mouth grew

stronger. Color returned to his skin, his breathing eased, and his
eyelids fluttered open. Their eyes locked and sparks flew between
them. How could Shawn have thought for even one second that he
could spend a single moment of his life without Valentin?

“Hey there, sweetheart. It’s good to see those black eyes of

yours.” Valentin licked the wound closed, keeping his eyes on
Shawn’s, and it felt like the most intimate thing in the world. His cock
hardened, and he became aware that he was naked in a room full of

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people.

Valentin picked up on his mood and winked.
“You think this is funny?” He bent over and whispered in his ear.

“You will pay for this sweetheart.”

“Looking forward to it. Did you mean it? Calling me sweetheart?”
“Yes. And get used to it, because you will be hearing it a lot from

now on.”

Beauviers came closer, entering Valentin’s field of view. Shawn

watched as his mate’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He pushed
at the therian’s shoulders, trying to get up. He managed to climb to his
knees and stood like that, unsure of his feet, head half-bowed and
eyes lowered to the ground.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I didn’t know you were here.” Your

Highness?

“Drop the title. Something less formal would do.”
“Yes, your…my lord.”
“Better. I know your name is Valentin.”
“Yes. Valentin Alekseev of the Sergheev coven.”
“The one that was slaughtered?”
“Yes.” Valentin choked on the word.
“What happened there?”
“I do not know for sure. They were professionals.”
“They were vampires.” Shawn intervened. Valentin glared at him.

“What?”

“Shut up.”
“How do you know that?”
“He showed it to me.” Valentin elbowed him in the ribs. Damn,

his mate was bony. Shawn rubbed the sore place and glared at his
lover.

“You mean he told you?”
“No. What I said. He showed me. I saw everything that happened

that night through his eyes.”

“So he showed you the vampires there?”

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201

“No, I smelled them.”
The elder was suddenly in his face, grabbing Shawn by the throat

and lifting him off the ground. Out of reflex, the therian’s hands shot
up and clawed at Beauviers’s fingers, trying to pry them off. “You
smelled them in his memories? You shitting me?”

The shifter shook his head as frantically as the hold allowed.
“He is not.” Valentin’s eyes were still lowered and he sounded

surprised at his courage.

“I’m listening.” The lord’s grip hadn’t lessened and Shawn was

slowly turning purple.

* * * *

“I took him back with me and he saw everything through my eyes.

My room being ransacked, the massacre in the library and the grand
hall, Yuri’s body, my escape. Everything.”

Beauviers let Shawn drop and concentrated solely on the still-

kneeling vampire. “How is it possible for a fledgling to do this? This
kind of magic is reserved only to the eldest of us.”

Valentin mumbled something under his breath. The vampires

present in the room looked horrified.

“I’m not sure I heard that correctly. Did you just say you drank

some of Yuri’s blood?”

“Yes.”
“After he died?”
Valentin couldn’t find the strength to speak so he just nodded

weakly. After that it all happened in slow motion. The elder’s claw
dropped and aimed for the throat. Shawn saw the move and flung
himself to intercept the blow. Andrei bounded forth, flanked by Alex
and Robert. They reached Valentin just as Shawn jumped in front of
his mate, taking on the entire force of blow. The talons slid on the
therian’s sternum and sank between his ribs. Valentin screamed and
reached for his lover. Beauviers’s second-in-command appeared out

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of nowhere at his lord’s side.

“You said they were free to go.” Andrei glared at the elder.
“His offense cannot be overlooked.”
Shawn pressed his hands over his wound and watched the

exchange between his friend and the elder.

“I don’t see what a big deal it is.”
“He drank blood from a corpse.”
“And he lived. He drank the blood of his sire and lived.” The elder

winced. Apparently Andrei had plucked a nerve there. And he was
fully aware of the fact, because he kept grilling the bloodsucker. “I’m
taking that this is the real problem.”

“A fledgling shouldn’t be able to survive it.”
“Because the blood was bad? Or because it was an elder’s blood?”
When Beauviers didn’t answer, Valentin took it upon himself.

Shawn was risking his life for him. The least he could do was tell him
all the facts.

“Both. But mostly because it’s my sire’s blood.”
“Why?”
“Because I now am the master of his line.”
Shawn, along with half of the people gathered there, gaped at him.
“You want to kill him because he is now a master on his own?”
“This is not the way.”
“If he weren’t worthy, would it have been possible for him to

survive this?”

The elder took a long time answering, and Valentin could feel his

gaze piercing him right to his soul.

“No. He wouldn’t have.” He accepted grudgingly.
“Then it’s settled. He walks. You gave your word.” Shawn

jumped in Beauviers’s face.

Their eyes caught and held, each of them trying to stare the other

down. Finally, the elder nodded. “You walk. I will expect your visit
after you settle in. Both of you.” Settle in? Where?

“Thank you, my lord. We will be honored.”

Perfect Timing

203

“One more thing.” Beauviers pointed at the man that had been

escorted from the dungeons along with Valentin. “Is he one of those
who attacked your coven?”

The vampire stared at him and worried at his lower lip, pondering

his answer. Shawn looked at him, not knowing who he really was, and
took the decision from his mate’s hands.

“No. But they are here.”
“Show them to me.”
Shawn sniffed the air. His gaze fixed on a standing man on the

other side of the grand hall, watching him with cruel, hateful eyes, not
knowing he was pointing to François, De Nemours’s second-in-
command.

“Him. And him.” He waved toward Adelmann and everyone in

the audience froze. Beauviers tensed.

“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Valentin? Is he right?”
Valentin swallowed the lump in his throat and mumbled his

answer.

“Yes.”
“You destroyed a coven and you harbored a wizard. You both

knew the punishment for that.”

Adelmann snarled and took a step forward.
“I’m a member of the Council!”
“I don’t care who you are. You broke the Law!”
At the elder’s sign, two intimidating-looking vampires stepped

forward. Sharp blades appeared in their hands and a moment later two
severed heads rolled at their feet.

Beauviers addressed the men gathered in the grand hall. “This is

how we punish those who break our Law.” He turned back to Shawn
and flicked his wrist, dismissing them.

“You and your mate may leave.”
Andrei stood his ground as Valentin got to his feet with some

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difficulty. The vampire leaned heavily on a still-shocked Shawn. They
started for the door with small, measured steps as the werewolves
followed in their wake.

Perfect Timing

205

Epilogue

Shawn lay wide-awake in bed watching his mate sleep. The light

was dim but he didn’t need it. He’d close his eyes and see his lover’s
face, the curve of his cheek, the arch of his brows, the softness of his
lips.

They were in a guest room in Dana’s home where they were

brought by Andrei’s friends, and Valentin had fallen straight asleep.
He’d dozed on the way there, too, and Shawn had to carry him the
whole way to the cars that were waiting for them. He would have
carried him to the ends of the Earth if need be. He had his mate back
and that was all that mattered. On the way over the werewolves had
produced sandwiches and Shawn had ate his fill. The food and the
warmth of the car had sped the healing process, so when they arrived
at Dana’s residence the wound was nearly closed. The cute blonde
had taken them to a spacious bedroom, saying that it would be theirs
for as long as they needed, and let them be.

Shawn had bathed his lover as best as he could and had pulled the

comforter over his shoulders. Valentin had whimpered and snuggled
in his arms as soon as the therian had joined him in bed. He should
have slept, God knew he was beyond tired, but he couldn’t take his
eyes off his lover.

He could have lost him so easily. Hell, he almost did. There was

so much to learn about Valentin’s world. Why was his blood the only
blood the vampire could handle? Was it because they were mates, or
was it something else? And Valentin being a master vampire, well,
that came out of the blue. Shawn snickered silently to himself. He’d
known his mate was powerful, he’d told the man as much, but his

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Aimée Brissay

words had fallen on deaf ears. Now he had a world of teasing to do,
just as soon as he was sure his lover would pull through.

He reached out and pulled the comforter lower to expose the

man’s chest. The vampire was too skinny. He’d have to make sure he
was well fed. Now, when it had become clear that his lover couldn’t
feed off anyone else, it was his responsibility.

His fingers reached the sensitive area of the vampire’s underarms

and the man chuckled.

“How long have you been awake?”
“A while. But you looked too far away to tell you. What were you

thinking of?”

“You, actually.”
Valentin frowned. “What about me?”
“I was thinking just how beautiful you are. But you need to feed

more. You are too skinny.”

Apparently the vampire had stopped listening after beautiful.
“You think I’m beautiful? Men aren’t beautiful.”
“You are.”
“You say the sweetest things.”
“Get used to it. We have a lifetime together. Why didn’t you tell

me you were the master now?”

“I didn’t know for sure.”
“And you weren’t sure of me.”
Valentin looked ashamed, unsure of Shawn’s reaction to his

admission.

“That’s okay. You had no reason to trust me. But I want you to

listen to me and listen carefully.”

The therian rolled until he was settled between the vampire’s

spread legs, his weight placed carefully on his hands. He felt his
mate’s cock stir and rolled his hips to tease him. Valentin let out a
groan and jerked up in search of more friction.

Shawn looked the vampire in the eyes and spoke slowly to make

sure he was making himself clear.

Perfect Timing

207

“You are my mate and you are stuck with me. Besides, I am the

only one who can feed you.”

Valentin pushed at Shawn’s shoulders. “I don’t want your pity. I

don’t want you staying with me because you have to.” The most
important part was left unsaid, but the shifter understood it clearly.

“I am not. It is true that Fate or nature or the Divine Creator has

chosen you as my mate, but that doesn’t mean I have to care for you.
But I do.” He swallowed, his mouth going dry. “I don’t know when or
how it happened, but sometime in the few days we’ve spent together
I’ve fallen in love with you. I never felt like this before and haven’t
thought it would happen. But it did. You want me or not, there’ll
never be anyone else for me. You’re it for me.”

Valentin was speechless. He looked at him with wild eyes and

mouth agape.

“Shawn, I don’t know what to say.”
Shawn had hoped for a positive answer but he was willing to wait,

as long as the vampire wasn’t telling him to leave.

“You don’t have to say anything. I just want a chance with you.”
“You don’t understand. I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw

you. But I didn’t dare to hope. And I think I am in love with you, too.
I’ve been for a while now. All I could think about when I was in the
dungeons was you. I hoped I would get to see you again. Just once,
and I would have died happy.”

“So keeping me wouldn’t be so bad, huh?”
Valentin laughed, a soft musical sound.
“No, it wouldn’t be bad at all. It would be wonderful. Perfect. A

dream come true.”

Shawn leaned in and nuzzled the vampire’s neck. “Will let me

mark you? Make you mine?”

“Mark me? Where?” He breathed his words just as he arched his

back to allow better access.

“Here.” The word, spoken against his skin, sent shivers down

Valentin’s body.

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Aimée Brissay

“Yes.”
“Or maybe here?”
He’d scooted down his mate’s body and caught a pink nipple

between his teeth.

“Yes.” The word was nothing but a whisper and floated through

the air like a feather.

Shawn sucked on the nub and, when he got it nicely wet, he

switched to the other. Valentin moaned, the sound of it music to the
therian’s ears.

“What about here?” He’d glided lower, his tongue teasing the taut

muscles of the vampire’s stomach.

“Oh, God, anywhere. Anywhere. Just don’t stop.”
“Not planning on it.”
Shawn lowered himself even more until his chin bumped the head

of his lover’s cock. It was rock-hard and leaking and oh-so-perfect.
Without allowing Valentin any time to prepare for what was to come,
he wrapped his palm around the base and slid his mouth over it as far
as he could without gagging. The vampire nearly shot off the bed.

The shifter started working him for all he was worth, trying his

best to ignore his own throbbing dick. Valentin writhed and moaned
and his hips jerked, shoving his cock deeper down the shifter’s throat.
Shawn increased his sucking and used his hand to tease the sack. He
rolled the balls between his fingers and added a small twist on the
upstroke. He lifted his head completely and ran his hand over the head
before plunging back down. The vampire had been reduced to
unarticulated sounds and his testicles had drawn taut to the base of his
cock.

Shawn let the balls go and slid two fingers inside his mouth next

to the prick and wetted them. He slid his fingers over the sensitive
area of the perineum down to the crack of his lover’s ass, searching
for the tightest little hole he’d ever seen. He brushed the tip of his
finger over it, and it fluttered under his touch. He slid the digit inside
and the walls tightened around it. Valentin’s dick swelled and jerked

Perfect Timing

209

in his mouth. He pushed his finger farther and rubbed it over the small
gland.

Valentin tugged at his hair in warning just a second before he

exploded. But letting go wasn’t an option. He took as much as he
could of his mate’s prick and let the warm fluid run down his throat.
The vampire’s fingers tightened in Shawn’s hair until he thought his
lover might pull it out by its roots. He swallowed everything his lover
had to give, his finger constantly rubbing against the man’s prostate.

The vampire went slack and Shawn let his dick slide out of his

mouth with a small pop. The shifter pushed himself on his hands until
his lips were at the same level with his mate’s and kissed him hard.
Valentin responded just as ardently and the therian started humping
against him, his cock throbbing painfully.

“Fuck me. Fuck me hard.”
Right then, those were the sweetest words in the world. Shawn put

three fingers in his mouth and got back to preparing his mate.
Valentin’s muscles gave in under his touch and he fought for deeper
penetration, his dick so hard no one could have guessed he came only
minutes before. Not a moment too soon, the vampire was fucking
himself on Shawn’s hand, begging for his cock.

Shawn withdrew his fingers and replaced them with the head of

his prick. He pushed in a centimeter or two and waited for the
muscles to relax, happy about the extra lubrication his pre-cum was
offering. His body shook with the effort to hold himself under control,
a difficult feat to accomplish, especially when he could feel his mate’s
arousal as Valentin writhed underneath him, whimpering in need.

“More. Give me more.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t. More. Now.”
Shawn took him at his word and slid all the way in. Valentin’s

eyes fluttered closed in pleasure, just as he arched his back and a
moan escaped his lips. The vampire sneaked one foot behind his
lover’s back and urged him to move.

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Aimée Brissay

Shawn tried to keep his movements slow, but when the vampire

sneaked a hand between their bodies and started jerking his cock,
Shawn lost it. His hips snapped and his rhythm became erratic. His
eyes latched on the column of the vampire’s neck and his gums ached
with the need to bite.

Reading his mind, Valentin exposed his throat more, silently

urging him on. Shawn’s canines dropped and he leaned in, raking
their points over the sensitive skin under his mate’s ear. The vampire
trembled and the hand flying on his dick faltered.

“Mine.”
Valentin whimpered in response. The shifter growled.
“Mine. Say it.”
“Yours.” Shawn pierced the skin, and the warm, rich-flavored

liquid filled his mouth. Invisible bonds, like silken strands, locked
between them, and he could no longer tell where one ended and the
other started. He could feel everything his mate felt and it was
intoxicating.

Valentin was close, his body going taut. Shawn joined their hands

over the vampire’s cock and pulled. It throbbed and jerked and spilled
over their fingers. His body clamped around the therian’s dick and it
pushed him over the edge. He came and came for what seemed like
hours.

Shawn fell on top of his mate, trying to catch his breath. Valentin

ran his fingers through the shifter’s hair, enjoying the feel of his body
on top of his.

“I should have claimed you in front of the entire pride, in the light

of the full moon. There should have been a feast, and celebrations of
our bonding should have lasted for days. I’m sorry I can’t offer you
that.”

Valentin felt his distress and his longing and held him fast.
“I don’t need any of that. Just you.” He paused, eyes flashing

mischievously. “But you might want to think of a good security
system.”

Perfect Timing

211

“What for?”
“For the L’Immortel, of course.”
“What..? You have the rock?”
“No, but I know where it is.”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember when I drank Yuri’s blood? I couldn’t see who killed

him, but it gave me the location of the stone. Among other interesting
pieces of information.” Valentin winked wickedly.

“So you had it all along?”
The vampire grinned. “Yep.”
Shawn broke out laughing. Life with Valentin was going to be

interesting.

THE END

ABRISSAY@YAHOO.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born in Romania, land of the Iele and Vlad the Impaler, she’d

spent all her life surrounded by books. She rode side by side with
d’Artagnan and The Three Musketeers to retrieve the Queen’s
diamonds, set sail on the Erasmus in search of the Japans, fell in love
with Rhett Butler and roamed the Wild West along Old Shatterhand.
She walked on the footsteps of the Olympian Gods and searched for
Zalmoxis' sanctuary in the Carpathians. In her mind, she’d never been
the damsel in distress but rather the knight in shiny armor fighting for
a cause.

With a background like this, turning to writing was no surprise.

She discovered erotica early on in life and never looked back. Now
she can write anywhere, even in a crowded room or a busy subway
station, but she loves solitude.

When she’s not at her evil day job, she can be found writing or

playing with her cat. She welcomes messages from readers and
promises to answer all of them as soon as possible.

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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PERFECT TIMING
THE END

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